


You Can Fly So I Want to Be Like You

by merryfortune



Series: A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes & Other Tall Tales Pirates Sing Of [1]
Category: Free!, Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Harpy, Alternate Universe - Mermaid, Alternate Universe - Pirates, Death, Fantasy, Fantasy Alternate Universe, Gen, Genderqueer Character, Greek Mythology - Freeform, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Recreational Drug Use, Slight Violence, Stylistic Choices, Swearing, fantasy geography
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-01
Updated: 2017-01-01
Packaged: 2018-09-13 21:30:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 33,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9143065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merryfortune/pseuds/merryfortune
Summary: Tsutomu is an odd penguin harpy in exile. He has an unconventional desire inside of him: to surpass and for that, he will sacrifice the security and comfort he has in exchange for the unknown realm of humans as a pirate; whatever that is. The humans are strange and have peculiar customs but he'll try his best because he wants to be the best. The Captain. The ace in the deck. For now, he'll have to start small but he has big goals.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings: super long oneshot, slight homophobia, mentions of racist language, character death, alcohol and recreation drug use. This should also probably be split into two chapters but I don't know where to split it....

   From time to time, it gets lonely. But it’s fine. Tsutomu is able to overcome those melancholic thoughts but he thirsts deeply for something more. Not just companionship but admiration and leadership too.

   This unprecedented desire had changed Tsutomu’s life but they say history repeats itself. This notion gives way to dread inside of Tsutomu even though he knows it should excite him. He merely doesn’t want to ruin the idyllic life his rebellion had led to him initially.

   ‘Ne, Nagisa, do you ever think there’s anything more than the Icy Nests and the Sandy Nests? Anything further than we can swim; in the horizon?’ Tsutomu asked.

   Nagisa tilted his head and stared. The ocean – bright and azure – was seemingly endless. It engulfed his forward-facing vision. In his peripheries, there was a thin stretch of beach and shoreline before a harsh environment neither of them would ever dare to traverse for it would be unforgiving. Ruthless upon their feet and impossible for their stamina to bear.

   ‘Hm… Probably. Because Haru and Makoto and Rin and Gou… they’re not from our Icy Nest. I’m not even from your Icy Nest so there’s probably a lot more to this world but it’d be impossible for any of us to see it. Our wings only take us so far; our legs, again, only so far. There are some limits we aren’t meant to surpass but…’

   Nagisa’s voice trails off and he looks Tsutomu in the eyes. He has a deviant glint and Tsutomu flapped his arms out of surprise. That was a very good and very terrifying look on Nagisa. Tsutomu shoulders were suddenly covered in goose-bumps too. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. He smiled awkwardly though.

   ‘But you’ve always been something of an anachronist.’

   His scarlet eyes sparkled and he beamed widely – proudly even.

   It was true though. Tsutomu was not one for sticking to status quo. He had issues with the hierarchy of his previous colony so he had ended up attempting to begin a coup. It did not… end well. He had been forcefully battled out of the colony and he still had traces of those fight on his body.

   ‘I wish I could see the rest of the world. I’m sick of it just being us…’ Tsutomu lamented.

   ‘D’aw, but I don’t want to share you.’ Nagisa pouted and he shuffled in closer to Tsutomu. Nagisa pecked Tsutomu’s cheek with a mischievous, chaste smile.

   ‘Hm…’ Tsutomu hummed.

   Nagisa got to his feet and shook himself. Sand fell from between his feathers. He took a deep breath and threw his arms back; his wings curved outwards. He inhaled the salty, sea air with a great smile.

   ‘I’m hungry, you?’ Nagisa asked.

   ‘Yeah, I guess.’ Tsutomu asked.

   ‘Would you like me to bring back dinner for you though?’ Nagisa asked.

   ‘Thank you. I’ll get us breakfast tomorrow then.’ Tsutomu promised.

   Nagisa giggled as he waddled off. He approached the ocean and Tsutomu couldn’t take his eyes off of Nagisa. He was momentarily love-struck. He was always love-struck by Nagisa but sometimes, when the sunlight hit him just right and when he flounces more energetically than usual, Tsutomu is hit hard by those lovey-dovey feelings.

   Furthermore, Nagisa was a graceful and dexterous swimmer. He was a grand sight to be watched. He had a perfect arc in his back as he dived underneath the foamy waves. He had a perfect breaststroke, in Tsutomu’s opinion. Nagisa had such a splendid form as he glided through the water and propelled himself forward. He was so much more than Tsutomu in the sea.

   The setting sun had tinted the sky with an overcast-like aura. The sky grew a few shades darker; going from pastel to night-like without a single cloud to mar it. The ocean deepened in hue and flecks of orange and yellow reflected off of it in the far, far distance. It was truly a sight to behold. For that moment in time, nothing fazed Tsutomu.

   Until, his thoughts began to settle again as the ephemeral beauty of the sky and ocean shifted and he broke concentration upon noticing. Tsutomu sighed. Nagisa didn’t get it. Tis unfortunate but true.

   From a young age – from the moment Tsutomu had hatched – he had felt a tug in his chest that yanked him further than he could go. He couldn’t explain it. It was just how felt and Nagisa didn’t feel the world emotionally like he did. There was a limit on life and Tsutomu desired nothing more than to surpass it. To prove it could be done.

   Tsutomu wanted to change something he couldn’t change. It was like he was fighting the tides. Impossible.

   He had been exiled from his colony as an adolescent. He was an adult now. That was a long time ago. He had attempted to start a coup; out of anger, out of fury, out of jealousy. Tsutomu hadn’t found a perfect pair for an offbeat reason. He felt no lust whatsoever for the opposite sex. During the mating season, Tsutomu only found himself wanting approach his fellow menfolk; all of whom were attempting to woo the womenfolk of their colony.

   It was strange but no one thought anything of it. It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing that Tsutomu was homosexual. If there was an accident or death amongst the heterosexual, perfect pairs then he would be needed to raise offspring.

   Tsutomu liked the idea of being a spare parent but he didn’t like the idea of being alone. He craved attention. He sought it out and did silly things to get it. He swam too far out all the time to make people look for him and he always spoke too loud so people would look at him. Although, he never considered them silly. Everyone else did. Which is probably why at first, everybody in the colony ignored Tsutomu when he announced he wanted a change in the society the penguin harpies had built over innumerable generations.

   Only once Tsutomu had hedged it over two mating seasons that everyone started to listen. Or at the very least, give him the riled-up reaction he sought. It was out of loneliness that he kept going against the society. However, there soon became a point in time when it wasn’t just loneliness though. That feeling soon merged with his desire to surpass whatever was set before him. In this instance, it was tradition.

   Eventually, no one wanted to be around Tsutomu as his ambition sounded more like complaint. When that happened, Tsutomu dared to go bolder. He’d never felt more isolated. It didn’t take much for Tsutomu to feel like that but after days and days of being avoided, he knew he would have to go big or give up. And he wasn’t the type to give up. This led to him picking a fight. He needed the attention and he needed his justice. That’s how he justified these soured emotions.

   He picked a fight with the Captain of the Triad. That would have been a suicidal move had the Captain – Erinyes – had not been a compassionate woman. She too was same-sex attracted and without a partner and she could understand the root of Tsutomu’s loneliness, fury, but she was the Captain of her colony first so she fought back against Tsutomu.

   There was a code of ethics that harpies – regardless of what kind: marine or aerial – that had to be followed. Three very simple rules that were not to be disobeyed.

  * Only the evil can be hurt as claws are meant to protect.
  * Family was not to be betrayed.
  * The Triad are judge, jury, and executioner: they were law.



   In a single swoop, Tsutomu had managed to defy them all in a quirk of ambiguously righteous violence. He didn’t even know how as he was headstrong in his belief that there was something more than the Icy and Sandy Nests. There had to be and that was something he felt so strongly that he could fight for it. He could rebel for it.

   The fight between Tsutomu and Captain Erinyes was epic. Not because Tsutomu was particularly good at fighting, although he was quite capable, but because it was unique and unprecedented. Everyone watched with trepidation and bated breath. It was going to be a one-sided fight but silly Tsutomu soon proved himself to be a worthy opponent for the Captain of their colony against all, seemingly unsurmountable odds. He always wanted to surpass the limit. He wasn’t all bark after all.

   Tsutomu had powerful kicks to deliver but Captain Erinyes had been established as the colony leader for a reason. She was merciless. Captain Erinyes was capable of head-smashes and kicks that could shatter ice and Tsutomu was pummelled with every blow she landed. Her fury was righteous and every bit as noble as Tsutomu. She had ideals for whom she could fight for.

   Tsutomu had broken the code and therefore, Captain Erinyes was free to deliver judgement as she deemed appropriate. Her unleashed violence was justified and powerful.

   She swiped at Tsutomu with her claws and she delivered kick after kick to his gut. She pushed him back and back but he withstood her, miraculously. She clicked her tongue and she swung herself around and turned herself into a battering ram. Again, Tsutomu was able to withstand her onslaught.

   Tsutomu fought back as well. He clawed and swiped at her. He was swift and attempted to slash past her but she was too quick. She ensnared him with her own wings with a great _slap_! Tsutomu was shocked by the noise and by how firm a grip Captain Erinyes possessed. There was a glint in her eyes and with that, he was brought down with a great crash like icicles coming loose from a glacier.

   The fight ended.

   Tsutomu was then trapped underneath Captain Erinyes. She was incredibly heavy so he didn’t struggle. He knew his crimes. He buried his chin in the powdery snow beneath them. He swallowed. He could feel a shift in the air. A snowdrift was coming soon. It was a lovely day. A good day to die.

   He shut his eyes tightly and his flippers quivered. He waited. And waited. And waited.

   Everyone was expecting Captain Erinyes to bite into his neck with her fangs and rip out his spinal cord like that. Instead, she slumped back and turned her nose to the sky. She observed the pinkish clouds with a sigh.

   ‘What a lovely day.’ she announced.

   Tsutomu agreed but didn’t voice it. He was terrified. Frozen.

   ‘Go.’ Captain Erinyes stated simply. Blankly. ‘I want you to leave and to never come back. Should you ever decide to return, I will not hesitate to disembowel you. Understand, son?’

   ‘I – I understand!’ Tsutomu stammered.

   Captain Erinyes hefted herself off of his back and she waddled off coolly. The other members of the colony turned their backs on Tsutomu and followed Captain Erinyes’ lead. They all waddled off, further along into the tundra.

   Tsutomu huffed. Hot tears began to bubble up from inside of him. He didn’t like it. He didn’t like this feeling of rejection so he resolved, as the snow began to fall and the last of winter began to take its course that he would find his destiny. He knew he had one. How else would he be able to commit the three atrocities inside his society?

   Unfortunately, Tsutomu had yet to find this destiny. Thus, so far all his wanderings and swimming had led him to permanently setting up camp in a no man’s territory which was a journey and a half away from any nest that his colony would use. It was within this no man’s territory that he met the pod: a group of outcast sirens and another penguin harpy.

   Despite living as part of their “pod”, Tsutomu had yet to come to know how they had come to connect to each other. He felt disjointed from them but Tsutomu was blessed at the same time. At least, he had a mate now.

   Nagisa was a good mate. Tsutomu was lucky to have him and through the love-struck haze that clouded his days and his judgement, he was ungrateful. They weren’t a perfect match. They had yet to exchange vows and rocks.

   Still, there was something beneath it all that irked Tsutomu. He couldn’t place his claw on it but he’s certain it was just because he and Nagisa weren’t a perfect pair. They weren’t soul mates. They were just what they had available to each other. Or maybe that’s just Tsutomu being cynical because Nagisa simply did have that desire to go beyond the horizon and surpass the limit.

   Tsutomu’s thoughts of all these events and musings drifted away when he saw Nagisa return. He looked so proud of himself for having caught a few fish. He waddled along the beach awkwardly with his haul in tow and laughed to himself.

   ‘We’re eatin’ good tonight. After all that fasting in the winter, it’ll be nice to go back to regular meals, huh?’ Nagisa said. He whipped the octopus around and slammed it in front of Tsutomu. He also dumped the fish he had caught in front of Tsutomu as well.

   ‘You always look so great swimming.’ Tsutomu complimented. A bright blush of scarlet swept across his face.

   Nagisa puffed out his chest. ‘Why thank you, darling.’ he said smugly as he plopped down beside Tsutomu. He nudged the octopus closer to Tsutomu. It was visibly gored and given that its arms were still twitching, likely alive regardless. ‘Want to share my wonderful find?’

   ‘I’d love to Nagisa.’ Tsutomu said.

   The two then tore into their feast. It had been a long winter and food had been scarce but now, life was returning to sea and land. The natural order had replenished itself and now, it was time to enjoy the bounty whilst it lasted through until autumn.

   As they ate voraciously, Nagisa explained how he had caught the octopus. Octopus were wise prey but even they were weak to Nagisa’s speed and agility beneath the water. Tsutomu listened intently to Nagisa’s story. He was an energetic and descriptive speaker. Tsutomu could easily imagine every single part of Nagisa’s hunt because of it. He was entranced by Nagisa. He wished that he could have been there and seen it.

   After stuffing themselves silly with seafood, they waddled off to their burrow and cuddled in next to each. It was a deep hole just big enough to fit the two that was placed at the bottom of a steep, silver faced cliff. Roots and dangling, yellow-brown lichen hid the entrance. It was comfortable enough; the bottom of the hole had been worn smooth from constant use so that was a consolidation.

   The following morning, Tsutomu would not have to hunt breakfast for him and Nagisa as the pod of exiled sirens had come to visit; and, they had brought enough food to share between them all. The pod of sirens came as close to the burrow as they could with the just after dawn high tide. They made an array of noises to entice the pair of penguin harpies from their comfortable burrow.

   Both mates had bleary eyes and little energy for anything so early in the morning but Nagisa perked up almost instantly when he saw the pod lying amid the sandy, weedy waves. He beamed with sleepy eyes.

   ‘Morning all.’ He yawned and he idly slapped Tsutomu awake. He liked the voices of the sirens. They tended to sing rather than speak so the lilt that accompanied their voices was very pleasant; except when they punctuated their speeches with clicks of tongues and other strange noises usually found among the creatures who represented them.

   Tsutomu mumbled as he crawled a little further out of the burrow so he could appear polite.

   The pod consisted of three male sirens – an orca, dolphin, and great white shark - and one female great white shark siren. The orca and dolphin were mates whilst the two great white shark sirens were twins.

   ‘How are you two doing?’ Makoto, the orca, asked with a cheerful smile.

   ‘I had nice dreams last night.’ Nagisa mumbled.

   ‘Oh hurry and get it over with. We’re not here for pleasantries.’ the male great white shark – Rin – grumbled. His elongated fangs flashed violently between his lips as he spoke.

   ‘That’s true.’ his sister, Gou, agreed.

   Although her name was Gou, she preferred to be called the more feminine “Kou” and thus far, it had only been Tsutomu who has obliged by this wish.

   ‘What’s goin’ on?’ Nagisa asked. He blinked slowly and he seemed a lot more awake now; especially compared to Tsutomu who was resting his head lazily against Nagisa’s shoulder.

   ‘There is a thing and we don’t know what it is but we do know it filled with humans.’ Kou explained.

   ‘Humans? Humans aren’t real.’ Nagisa said and he teasingly waved his flipper at Kou.

   ‘Well they are! How else could you explain why they look like us from the top half but they have legs like yours but, like, without all the feathers.’ Kou said, flustered. Her eyes wide. She’d always been an anatomical fanatic. She had also always believed that the myths were true; and she wasn’t the only one.

   ‘HUMANS?!’ Tsutomu screamed and he shoved Nagisa out of the way; and into the wall of the burrow.

   ‘Tsu-chan…’ he whined. ‘You’re hurting me.’

   Tsutomu nervously stopped pressing Nagisa against the wall of their burrow but his eyes were aflame nonetheless. His entire body was tense and his heart pounded. He couldn’t stop his heart from racing inside his chest. It was like the ocean against the cliffs.

   ‘Yes. Humans. They don’t have any claws or fangs.’ Haru the dolphin added.

   ‘Thank you, Haru for that insightful contribution.’ Kou added sarcastically.

   ‘Well, what are they here for?!’ Tsutomu shouted.

   ‘We’re right in front of you, Tsutomu. There’s no need to shout.’ Makoto said, shyly.

   ‘I know, I know.’ Tsutomu replied but he couldn’t escape this feeling that the sudden appearance of humans was connected to his destiny.

   ‘Well… uh, um…. We don’t know. We just know they’re here and they’re headed for dryland.’ Kou admitted.

   ‘Do you think they’re here to abduct us?’ Makoto worried and he gripped onto Rin’s shoulders out of worry.

   Rin shrugged him off violently. ‘Whatever. Let’s just eat ‘em.’

   ‘I agree.’ Haru piped up; a flash of hunger through his cerulean eyes.

   ‘I think we should just lay low and hope for the best. If we’re lucky, they’ll pass by without any drama.’ Makoto advised.

   ‘I agree.’ Haru said again.

   ‘You can’t just agree with us both.’ Rin pointed out.

   ‘Well, Haru’s not wrong. Both options are viable. One just happens to be more satisfying for you: a simple fish who thinks nothing more than the three Fs – fighting, food, and um, that other one.’ Kou replied.

   ‘How about we just wait to see how this all develops then?’ Nagisa asked.

   ‘I suppose that is the wisest thing we can do as of right now as we have no information.’ Makoto agreed.

   ‘So, it’s settled then.’ Nagisa affirmed.

   Makoto took a deep breath and worry creased his face. ‘Now, I know what you two are like so promise me now – before we leave – that you won’t do anything stupid.’

   ‘Stupid? Us?’ Nagisa gasped, exaggerated.

   ‘Just promise me you won’t go and find the thing carrying the humans.’ Makoto said.

   ‘I solemnly swear.’ the penguin harpies said together but they were slightly out of synch with each other.

   Makoto stared them down warily but he resigned with a heavy-hearted sigh.

   ‘Are you seriously going to trust them?’ Kou asked, incredulous. ‘They’re obviously lying through their fangs.’

   ‘I’m sure they have survival instincts, Gou.’ Makoto replied.

   ‘Don’t call me Gou!’ Kou screeched.

   Rin glared suspiciously at the pair and soon found himself doubting Makoto’s conclusions about the two having “survival instincts”.

   ‘Besides, they don’t even know where to find the humans.’ Makoto said smugly.

   ‘Aah, that makes sense.’ Rin sighed and he made a face akin to having found enlightenment.

   ‘We should probably turn tail and head back out, huh then – now that we’ve delivered our very important message.’ Makoto decided.

   Then, without any prompting, he began pushed off and managed to coordinate with a wave strong enough to get him out of the sand long enough to turn his tail around. Tsutomu and Nagisa got a face full of a cutely curved black and white tail.

   Rin rolled his eyes. ‘Guess, he’s right though.’ He then hyper-focused on the penguin harpies. ‘Promise us you two won’t get into trouble.’

   Kou nodded her head fiercely.

   ‘We promise.’ Tsutomu insisted.

   ‘We gave you our most solemn promise.’ Nagisa added with a flap of his wings for dramatic emphasis.

   Haru shrugged whilst Kou shot him a concerned look. Obviously, neither siren believed either of the harpies. However, Haru was the first to subside out of he and Kou so he followed after Makoto who was waiting for him further down the beach with a dreamy smile. After Haru left, Rin and Kou bade farewell to the penguin harpies also.

   ‘Smile and wave, boys, smile and wave.’ Nagisa murmured to Tsutomu with a static smile. They had crawled a little further out of their burrow and the last of the high tide struggled to brush over them with chilly, early morning water.

   Tsutomu giggled but he tried to maintain a flat smile also. He and Nagisa waved goodbye at their friends. The sirens’ tails flicked up through the water and caught the morning sun. there was something so naturally graceful about sirens that it made the penguin harpies slightly jealous. They watched eagerly as the sirens visibly moved through in a southward bound direction. A moment of near silence, only the crash and hiss of waves on the white sand beach, before confirmation that they were alone. They needed to be certain that the sirens couldn’t hear them before they could speak to each other.

   Nagisa grabbed onto Tsutomu excitedly. ‘So, where do you think the humans are?’ he asked, eyes alight and practically sparkling.

   ‘Well, they’re probably going to try and avoid the human thing, so maybe, um, that way.’ Tsutomu suggested and he pointed to the northward direction with his flipper.

   ‘Hm, maybe, or maybe they’re trying to trick us into thinking it’s that way?’ Nagisa countered.

   ‘You really think they’d do that?’ Tsutomu asked.

   ‘…. I have no idea.’ Naigsa pouted.

   Tsutomu brightened up and flashed a pretty smile at Nagisa. ‘Well, we have all day to find out. It’ll be a lot of swimming but I think we can do it.’ Tsutomu said.

   ‘D’aw, you are just the greatest!’ Nagisa shrieked and he tackled into Tsutomu’s chest. Nagisa nuzzled against him with a grin smeared across his chirpy face. ‘So, let’s get our cleaning out of the way then let’s try and find the humans! Woohoo!’

   ‘Mm-hm.’ Tsutomu agreed with a nod.

   He and Nagisa wriggled out of their burrow complete. They shook their feathers and all sorts of dirt and grime came free. They giggled and waddled into the foam of the sea. The high tide was beginning to recede. They plonked themselves in the wet sand and began to groom each other.

   The chilly water washed over them now as they sat and against whilst they helped each other spread oil throughout their feathers. Thanks to their human-like anatomy, it was hard to reach the oil secretion gland beneath their tail feathers so it was often a familial thing to get together in pairs, or sometimes clusters, and just groom each other.

   ‘It just occurred to me that we probably have different creation myths since we’ve come from different colonies.’ Nagisa mused.

   ‘Maybe.’ Tsutomu shrugged and his feathers twitched as Nagisa had yanked his tail feathers a tad too hard. ‘Careful.’ he roused.

   ‘We definitely have different beliefs to the sirens, that’s for sure.’ Nagisa mused.

   ‘Hm. What do they believe?’ Tsutomu asked.

   ‘That they came first. It’s quite the tale! Lots of cannibalism; according to those overgrown fish anyway.’ Nagisa chuckled.

   ‘Cannibalism?’ Tsutomu echoed, terrified.

   ‘Ayup! That’s exactly it. The sirens think they came second, after the creation of all their non-siren counterparts. Then the humans came third when sirens committed like fish treason or whatever then got persecuted by the pod but they didn’t want rogue sirens fishing in their territory so these ye old sirens of lore were just like “fuck it, let’s eat the traitors” and the exiled sirens that managed to escape went on land and this somehow caused them to shed their tail and become humans. The more you know, right?’

   ‘Harpies are totally right though.’ Tsutomu said with a decisive nod of his head.

   ‘Oh yeah absolutely.’ Nagisa said then quirked an eyebrow. ‘Wait, are we on the same beach here?’

   ‘The flying harpies obviously descended from the heavens as the daughters of Thaumas and Oceanid Electra, multiplied from there using forgotten techniques if you know what I mean-’

   ‘Of course I do Nagisa.’ Tsutomu interrupted.

   ‘Then one day, the flying harpies went too far south and ended up in the first Icy Nest and to survive, they had to adapt to new methods of living so they learned the ways of the penguin and now we’re here. Unable to properly groom ourselves because our penguin legs aren’t flexible like our harpy torsos.’ Nagisa pouted.

   ‘You forgot the bit about where the penguin harpies were ex-communicated by our dear great aunt Iris because we’re kind of useless as messengers...’ Tsutomu said with muted disdain.

   ‘No? I thought instead of exiling us, she just put our oil secretion gland in a hard to reach place as punishment for abandoning our duties as messengers?’ Nagisa argued with a screwed-up face.

   ‘No? She just straight up dumped us.’ Tsutomu said.

   Nagisa shrugged with a sigh. ‘Well, at least we retained our dignity. The good old harpy moral code, am I right?’

   Tsutomu laughed awkwardly in pretence of agreement. According to lore, the harpy code could not be broken. Tsutomu managed to desecrate the three, simple laws in one, fell swoop.

   The two penguin harpies finished up grooming each other in an odd, awkward silence that Nagisa didn’t really want to understand. He knew that Tsutomu’s strange laughter was a result of that peculiar, baseless yearning he had but Nagisa did not. He didn’t know how to reach out about that so for now, he would let Tsutomu believe he had fooled Nagisa into thinking that they had run out of topics of conversation.

   A few minutes passed and they completed their morning groom. Satisfied, they got to their feet. With a smile upon their faces and excitement in their hearts, they raced towards the ocean. Their wings were arced and they hopped through sludgy sand until they got into the shallows, from there, they were able to take off with beauty and grace: no longer awkward land creatures. Here, they were truly marine creatures.

   With huge breaths of air expanding their lungs until maximum capacity and a powerful kick off, the two were able to propel themselves forward through the unforgiving ocean.

   The harpies had heard time and time again from Haru that the ocean was alive. As soon as you dive it, it immediately bares its fangs and attacks. But there’s nothing to fear, would say. Don’t resist the water, he would add. Thrust yourself into the surface and carve an opening. Then slide your body through that opening. Moving your arms, head, chest….

   He was a very serious siren, that Haru. He spoke philosophically and honestly; the penguin harpies couldn’t agree more. They knew well that they were neither creatures of the land or of the surf because of their strange, awkward bodies but still, there was nothing to lose from fighting.

   Tsutomu and Nagisa scoured the ocean for hours in search of the mythical humans. They swam for as long as they could before trying to find a sandbar or similar to rest on. In these past few hours, they had swum further out than they ever had before. In a way, it was magical but it was too exhausting to watch the passing beauty of the horizon vanish before they could catch up. By the time dusk had well and truly turned the day into night, their search was not in vain.

   But it was the strange stars that alerted them of a strange presence on the high seas. The two had stopped swimming and out were now interested in returning home even though it was so far away. As they came to the surface, to catch a quick break, they saw something shoot into the sky. It was indescribable. Like stars or a fire. They watched as sparkles – red, white, and yellow – exploded above them then shower over them like a gentle touch.

   It had been breathtaking. So they watched. One after another. They watched as these ephemeral stars blossomed like flowers for a few seconds then disintegrate into beautiful sparks before finally becoming nothingness. And these stars, had a source.

   The penguin harpies were overjoyed to discover that through the darkness, they could spot strange floating lights that were almost as bright as fire. They illuminated a monstrous machination. It was undoubtedly the thing that carried the humans. For the pod to have found it before them, the sirens must have been travelling in some of the deepest parts of the ocean.

   ‘What do we do now?’ Tsutomu asked as he treaded water. He was in absolute awe of the thing; whatever it was.

   ‘Obviously, we have to get a little closer.’ Nagisa shouted. He grinned. He acted as though he wasn’t exhausted at all.

   ‘I dunno, Nagisa. Shouldn’t we head back to the burrow? It’ll be dawn before we can sleep.’ Tsutomu pointed out cautiously. He wanted to get closer just as much as Nagisa but he didn’t want to do it at the sacrifice of his own strength. He wanted to sleep.

   ‘Don’t be such a worry-wart, Tsu-chan. Remember? There’s a sandbar half an hour that way; we’ll just spend the night there.’ Nagisa said.

   ‘Oh yeah.’ Tsutomu said; eyes widening and brightening up. His face cast strangely with the mishmash of shadows on him.

   ‘So? Let’s go!’ urged Nagisa excitedly. He splashed some water playfully into Tsutomu’s face then dived beneath the choppy surface of the ocean.

   Tsutomu giggled and followed soon after. They swam swiftly towards the human creation and as they drew closer, the more bizarre the thing became. It was huge and made of wood and something that shone like ice but was hard like rock. It stank with a sharp stench that burnt their noses and was reminiscent of fire and soot. From where they were in the sea, they could see onto the flat surface all the humans were gathered. They were close enough to hear the humans. They spoke a language the penguin harpies didn’t know.

   ‘For he’s a jolly good fellow! For he’s a jolly good fellow…! And so say all of us! And so say all of us!’

   They chanted jubilantly. Almost like the sirens do. It was singing.

   Their chant was accompanied by music. The humans appeared to have instruments but Tsutomu nor Nagisa recognised what they were. They certainly didn’t have any harpy or siren counterparts.

   One human – a huge, hulking creature with a scowl on his face – had a shiny thing in his mouth that was covered in odd ridges and holes; as he moved his fingers down it, different sounds were elicited.

   Another, one with spiky hair that was silvery brown, used a similar instrument but it was much larger and had no need for the stick. It also had a visible hole in its middle.

   Someone else – someone with much less of presence than the other two humans – used strange instruments that were small, tucked under their chins, and made a low, lilting whine like a lover when it was rubbed across by a strange stick.

   It was the human with the small, brown instrument underneath his chin that enchanted Tsutomu the most. He didn’t know why but even though he wasn’t as physically huge or intimidating as his brethren, it was he that Tsutomu was most drawn to.

   ‘Isn’t this exciting?’ Nagisa asked; quivering with excitement.

   ‘Yup!’ Tsutomu agreed.

   ‘What do you think they’re doing?’ Nagisa hissed.

   The humans slowly stopped making their jovial music and most of them began to smile. A strange human with completely upright orangey-red hair waltzed into the view of the penguin harpies. He spun on the heel of his foot and for the brief second the two saw his face; he was grinning like a madman.

   ‘All this?’ he said in his strange human language. His words bore no meaning for the penguin harpies but they listened intently to him regardless. ‘For me? You’ve got to be joking! I love you all!’

   ‘You forced us to this?’ the huge, scowling human growled.

   ‘Wakatoshi-kyun… how dare you insinuate you don’t love me?’

   The red-haired human clambered dramatically onto the torso of the human he was speaking to. The other human was disgusted.

   ‘Insinuate? He was putting it outright.’ an emotionless-looking human pointed out with a slight snarl in his voice.

   ‘Not you too, Taichi-kun.’ the red-haired human said, visibly hurt as he stumbled off of the huge human’s chest. ‘D-Do none of you love me? Even in pretence? On my birthday!’

   ‘Calm down, Tendo. C’mon, let’s fix you up some birthday dinner. We’ll have your favourite afterwards.’ The human who said that couldn’t be viewed as there was a wooden blockade in front of them.

    ‘If you truly loved me, we would have chocolate ice-cream for dinner and then we’d have –’

   ‘Satori!’ the huge human interrupted him. ‘If you were about to say what I think you were going to…’

   ‘I was _not_! Going to suggested weed brownie. I was going to suggest cocaine crusted margaritas.’ the red-haired human shrieked, aghast.

   ‘By God I hope so.’ The voice that spoke next belonged to a human that couldn’t be seen but he screamed despite a certain elderly intone he used.

   The human who had spoken earlier – seemingly about food but that was uncertain – finally moved into the view of the penguin harpies. He was a bulky, dark-skinned man and he had a net his hands.

   Nagisa panickily shot a glance to Tsutomu was still enthralled with the chronicles of the dramatic red-haired human and whatever it was he was raving about to notice any possible danger.

   ‘Casting off!’ the human with the net announced as he readied his net.

   ‘I hope we catch some whitebait.’ the human with the least amount of presence said.

   ‘If catching dinner ten minutes before grilling doesn’t say our precious “Guess Monster” then nothin’ does.’ the human with the net said with a gleaming smile. He finally set the net free and Nagisa felt as though his entire life was flashing before his eyes.

   It was fight or flight.

   He chose flight.

   Tsutomu hadn’t even realised this was a decision he would have to make as of yet. Nagisa was too concerned by himself so he kicked up some water towards Tsutomu so it would wake him from his trance. Why was he so infatuated with these humans? It didn’t make sense. All that did make sense was that it was time to get away from then let the humans feed without ever finding them.

   ‘Huh? Is there something down there?’

   ‘Hopefully. Men have got to eat.’

   Nagisa escaped the net’s clutches and he kept swimming downward into the black, frigid ocean until he felt like there was no way the human net could catch him. Only then did he twist around and desperately search the murky darkness for his mate. His heart hammered and he couldn’t think. He couldn’t see!

   ‘Nagisa!’ Tsutomu screamed and bubbles quivered above Nagisa. Light from the humans’ briefly illuminated the path they had swum and Nagisa saw, in dreadful brevity, his mate struggle against the net.

   Nets were definitely just as evil as they had been taught since chicks. Nets were the humans’ last stand against the harpies. Humans were evil and everything about them inherently so. That’s why the aerial harpies had to punish them. Humans had the same moral code as harpies but were so much more proficient in breaking it than following so they came up with nets and harpoons and goodness knows what else to prevent the harpies from fulfilling the natural course of justice.

   Tsutomu was innocent. Why would they do that?

   Nagisa held his breath and he could do nothing but silently pray for his own survival. He hoped though… that Tsutomu would be freed but it was so unlikely. Humans were unrighteous monsters after all. They shouldn’t have treated them so willy-nilly. Regret filled him like an insidious venom.

   Tsutomu struggled against the net. There was nothing he could do. His legs were ensnared in its bottom and his flippers were too clumsy to aid him in his fight for freedom. If only this had happened on the land. Above air. He could have fought. He held the last of his breath. This was how he was going to die but that wasn’t even the scariest part. This experience was making him relive every moment he had spent alive and he wasn’t even filled with regret or hatred for anything he had ever been through in his life.

   But he wasn’t filled with love either.

   He could see vague outlines of where Nagisa was; paralysed with fear, staying away out of his own self-preservation. Tsutomu didn’t blame Nagisa. If the situation was reversed, he would do the same thing. Or so he would like to think. Right now, he’s filled with very contradictory thoughts.

   He didn’t love Nagisa romantically. Platonically, yes. Nagisa couldn’t have been more loved in that respect. But Tsutomu did not love his mate romantically.

   Tsutomu knows why though. Harpies always have a perfect pair. Soul mates. He and Nagisa are not. They’re just two spare parts jammed together and it works. For the most part. But not now. Not in Tsutomu’s dying breath or thoughts. Suddenly, death seemed more like a memory because of how constant it was within this exaggerated moment. Had been a minute or had it been an hour? Tsutomu couldn’t tell. All he knew was that he didn’t love Nagisa and that he was running out of air. Slowly… loosing… consciousness…

   Tsutomu let his breath leak out from his mouth. He closed his eyes and he accepted death. That was, until, he felt a sharp and sudden yank then the next thing he knew was that he was being reeled out of the ocean.

   ‘It’s heavy!’

   ‘We’ll be eatin’ well tonight, boys!’

   ‘Whoa? What the devil is that?’

   ‘More importantly, can we eat it?’

   They let go of the net then backed away to the opposite side of their flat surface. Tsutomu wriggled out of the net, confused. He was terrified and overjoyed all at once. He looked towards the humans curiously.

   They chattered nervously whilst Tsutomu took in great gulps of air. He couldn’t believe it. He was alive. For now anyway. That’s all that mattered. One breath after another and suddenly, he could feel his clearer clarity and that strange longing in him for adventure and his dream to surpass had come back even stronger.

   He twisted around and the humans looked shocked by that.

   ‘Well I’ll be damned.’

   It was an old man who spoke. He had huge eyebrows, a big nose, and he looked like a real hard-ass. Tsutomu was slightly scared of him.

   ‘Didn’t think they were real.’

   ‘What is, Tanji-kun?’ the red-haired human asked.

   ‘A penguin harpy.’ the old human replied and Tsutomu could understand what he said. The words for “penguin” and “harpy” must be the same in all languages, or so he figured.

   ‘What is a penguin harpy?’

   ‘Like your normal harpy but y’know, smaller, not as strong. People thought they existed but no proof… until now. We’ll be rich, lads!’ the old human proclaimed giddily.

   ‘We’re letting it go.’ the huge human with a scowl declared.

   ‘Wait! What?’ the other humans stammered.

   Tsutomu perked up. Eyes wide. Enchanted. He understood that too.

   ‘We’re letting it go. Look at it. It’s terrified.’

   ‘Wakatoshi-kun, surely you jest.’ the red-haired human asked. ‘You heard Tanji-kun, we could be rich.’

   ‘Based on what I know about regular harpies, it will be in our best interest if we let it go.’

   ‘Ushijima has a point…’ the old human conceded. ‘Harpies aren’t known for being the friendliest little critters but I’m sure you boys could easily handle it.’

   ‘We are evil men. Harpies punish the evil. This one would be no different. We give it a peace offering then let it go.’ 

   Tsutomu sputtered and the humans cautiously arranged food. They pushed it towards him and he tentatively picked it up with his claws. They had given him strange fruits and vegetables, some fish too. He ate it all nervously. His eyes never left any of the humans. He didn’t think that they would poison him. They seemed like they revered him or at least, were just as scared as him as he was of them.

   ‘Pretty cute, don’t cha think, Kenjiro-kun?’ the red-haired human asked and he nudged the pretty, unassuming human that Tsutomu liked best.

   ‘C-Could you… Could you…?’ Tsutomu stared intently at that one human and he tried to imitate the movements he had made earlier with his instrument.

   ‘D’aw, I think he likes you.’ the red-haired human teased.

   ‘I think… he wants me to play?’

   ‘Then play, boy!’ the old man screamed. ‘We don’t want to piss the creature off… Look of them claws; could tear apart any of us, I reckon.’

   ‘Don’t get ideas.’ roused the huge human.

   ‘I wasn’t.’ the old human grumbled as he crossed his arms, as though insulted.

   Shocked at first but the human Tsutomu had picked out began to play. Tsutomu smiled and ate greedily. He really liked the soft, lilting sounds the human made with the instrument he kept under his chin.

   The food was strange. It was very cold and tasted old but it didn’t taste rotten. Tsutomu liked the flounder they had given him best though. Nothing beats the taste of fish; even strange and sweet fruits with seeds on the outside or vegetables that looked like tiny trees.

   ‘Enjoy yer meal?’ the old human asked, hobbling forward.

   ‘Y-Yes!’ Tsutomu cawed awkwardly.

   ‘And did y’like the music?’ the old human asked, becoming fonder of the penguin harpy by the minute.

   Tsutomu blushed. ‘Yes.’ he replied certainly.

   ‘Good, good...’ the old human said and he came closer still. He put his hand on the crown of Tsutomu’s head and mussed up his hair affectionately.

   Tsutomu blinked; confused. Was this how humans displayed affection?

   ‘Onya lad, onya.’ the old human laughed raucously. ‘Now, ya can’t stay here. Unfortunately. So, scram already, bird brat.’

   ‘Wh-What?’ Tsutomu stammered.

   ‘Ah great, he’s bonded with us.’ the human with two hair colours grumbled.

   The old human gently kicked beneath Tsutomu and Tsutomu got up as a reaction. Soon, he was hassled off of the humans’ flat surface amid the ocean. He was happy but he wanted a little bit longer in this mythological world. He cast one last longing look over his shoulder, swallowed, and caught the attention of that one really pretty human.

   He was shorter than the others with hair in a blunt fringe similar to Tsutomu. Although, his hair was a pretty shade of brown that Tsutomu didn’t realise was possible. All the dirt he knew was either reddish in tint or a very deep brown. He had very nice eyes a similar colour too and he was just… very pretty. Especially when he played on his strange instrument.

   ‘Bye, bye…’ Tsutomu mumbled and he waved his flipper at them.

   The red-haired human lost it because of that. He jumped up and down; seemingly out of protest. He clenched his hands together and pouted.

   ‘C’mon! Let’s keep the little bird boy! He’s cute! And it’s my birthday! I deserve a present like that!’ the red-haired human shouted.

   ‘Satori.’ the tallest human roused.

   ‘I… Shut up, Wakatoshi-kun.’

   With that, Tsutomu decided he would return to the sea. The humans had been kind enough to feed him and give him music so, it was time to leave. Some of the humans cooed and acted disproportionately. They seemed really happy to see him leave and it felt like a puncture wound. Tsutomu didn’t understand why so he thought, he had better leave. He needed to find Nagisa or a place to stay for the night.

   He dived over the blockade and into the water. The humans rushed after his wake and they seemed to bade him farewell. Again, making strange, cooing noises over him. They sounded like parents towards a newly hatched chick. It was bizarre.

   The ocean was cold, unwelcoming, and all-encompassing but Tsutomu fought. He fought his limbs which ached and screamed out of pain. He fought through tiredness. He stretched out all the energy he could from the food the humans gave him.

   He didn’t find Nagisa. Not within the first hour; not even within the fourth. By the end of the fourth hour, Nagisa was barely a priority. Tsutomu had gone beyond his limit and not in a good day. He needed to sleep. He’d been moving non-stop today and his body needed the rest. He managed to find one of the sandbars he and Nagisa had passed on their way to the humans so he perched himself on the highest point of the pathetic rocky outcrop covered in dumped sand from the waves that passed it. It was in the middle of nowhere and hardly a comfort but at this point, Tsutomu didn’t care.

   He hated how uncomfortable it was there and how cold it was but he managed to fall asleep regardless. He also didn’t wake until the afternoon. He was thankful though. The long sleep was dreamless and it set aside all the emotional pain he was feeling. The pain of being separated, the pain of knowing Nagisa’s romantic love was unrequited, and most curiously of all: knowing the pain that he wasn’t supposed to be here.

   Tsutomu thinks that he finally knows where he belongs but it seems to ridiculous to be true. He thinks his destiny lies beyond the horizon: on board with those humans. He liked them. They were weird and he didn’t understand them but he wanted to. Tsutomu has no basis for this feeling but he knows that it’s for real and that is substantial.

   Having had an abnormal number of hours of sleep, Tsutomu was completely re-energised so he charged forward towards the Sandy Nest once more. He hoped Nagisa would be there and willing to listen. To everything from the truth to the whimsy Tsutomu used to colour the truth.

   It was well into the night when Tsutomu had found dry land. Once more, he was exhausted as anything so he settled for nothing. He found high ground on the beach and tried not to let the tide touch him. He didn’t sleep easy that night. His mind filled with dreams and illusions. Most of which centred on what would happen if Nagisa didn’t want to hear what he had to say about love.

   Because of those dreams, Tsutomu woke up early. Before the sun but he didn’t toddle off in search of Nagisa immediately. Instead, he chose to sit in the surf and watch the sky. He mostly contemplated how gross he felt since it had been a while since he was last properly groom. Nagisa was probably feeling similar; unless the pod had visited. Tsutomu didn’t know if he wanted the pod to have visited.

   Once the sun rose and made the sky twist into beautiful, pale colours that were a peculiar mix of pink and blue. Tsutomu liked it though. It was tranquil in these dawn hours and with the sun, he rose too and he toddled out of the surf and down the beach.

   The morning scents were thick in the air. Black and white birds screeched in the branches of the sparse trees that dotted the yellowy fields that sprawled out atop of the backs of cliffs and above the rocks that guarded the white sand beaches. Tsutomu’s surroundings were so familiar yet they had never been more alien to him.

   ‘Nagisa?’ Tsutomu called out. He had been walking for hours. It was around noon now; based on how the sun was in the sky and how the shadows were. He could see the burrow within sight. His heat blossomed with warmth and he smiled. ‘Nagisa?’ he called out again.

   He came closer still; waddling towards his home. Hopeful.

   ‘T-Tsu-chan?! Tsutomu?!’

   Tsutomu whipped around and he saw a familiar face bobbing in the surf: Nagisa.

   Even from afar, Tsutomu could see tears well up in Nagisa’s eyes and his lips quiver. He could see him become destroyed by an overwhelming joy; that was before Nagisa dived underneath the waves and made a bolt for the shore. Tsutomu couldn’t move from where he was and tears of his own trickled from the corners of his eyes.

   He watched as Nagisa swam closer with the tide that pushed forward. Nagisa came with the wave and launched himself at Tsutomu. Tsutomu half stumbled back but he stood his ground. Nagisa wrapped his arms around Tsutomu as best as he could and nuzzled against Tsutomu’s chest.

   ‘I thought you were dead.’ Nagisa bawled.

   ‘The humans… they were really nice to me. They fed me and they played music for me. One of them petted my head – I still don’t know why but it felt nice?’ Tsutomu rambled.

   ‘Wh-What?’ Nagisa stammered as he pulled away from Tsutomu. Heartbreak imminent in his scarlet eyes.

   ‘Y-Yeah, they were really nice to me.’ Tsutomu said and then he explained the events that had transpired with the humans.

   Nagisa listened patiently but he looked petrified the whole time.

   ‘You really seem to be… taken with them.’ Nagisa mused once Tsutomu had finished his story.

   ‘I tell you all the time, don’t I Nagisa? That what I’m looking for in life isn’t normal. I want to go further and farther than we’re supposed to be able to go. I’m looking for… what the humans gave me. I think, I could be wrong!’ Tsutomu lamented.

   ‘No, no, you should trust your instincts.’

   Nagisa had lost any of that pride he used to hold for his anachronist lover who went up and against tradition time after time.

   ‘W-Well I trust my instincts and they’re telling me that those humans can help me achieve whatever it is I want in life. To surpass.’ Tsutomu’s voice steadily rose in power and volume.

   Nagisa smiled mutedly.

   ‘But,’ Tsutomu murmured, ‘I don’t want to hurt you. I love you… but…’

   ‘But what?’ Nagisa asked, fearful.

  ‘I love you but I don’t love you like you love me. We’re an… imperfect pair.’ Tsutomu confessed. He couldn’t look Nagisa in the eye.

   ‘Y-You think I didn’t know?’ Nagisa asked. His lips quivered and his voice gurgled. His cheeks grew flushed and his tears streamed down the side of his face.

   ‘I – I’m…’ Tsutomu stuttered but he couldn’t collect his thoughts in a coherent way. Did he want to apologise or did he want something else?

   Nagisa latched onto Tsutomu firmly in a clingy embrace.

   ‘It’s okay Tsu-chan. Thank you for being truthful.’ Nagisa murmured.

   ‘Thank you, Nagisa.’ Tsutomu replied.

   Slowly, Nagisa let go of Tsutomu. He bore of a fond, wet smile.

   ‘So, what are you going to do now?’ Nagisa asked.

   ‘I don’t know. I’m kind of hungry and gross feeling so I guess, I should go fishing and I would appreciate it if you groomed me.’ Tsutomu said.

   ‘I wasn’t gonna say anything but you do kinda smell.’ Nagisa teased.

   ‘Hey!’ Tsutomu roused.

   ‘Well, you go and get something to eat. I’ll be waiting by the burrow then.’ Nagisa said.

   ‘Thanks, Nagisa.’ Tsutomu said.

   He awkwardly turned away then proceeded to go fishing for himself. Nagisa watched, oversaw things, and was left with his own thoughts. It hurt. A lot. Worse than being injured. His heart ached and he hated it. He hated this terrible, oozing feeling. But he had known for a long time that an imperfect pair would have an imperfect love. He had never prepared himself though because it was just them and sirens. He never would have guessed it would be humans – mythical creatures that chicks were told scary stories about to keep them in line – would be what causes the imperfections to take a hold of what they had.

   He had always known, however, that Tsutomu’s strange desire to surpass would be what causes them to break down. After all, that feeling of Tsutomu’s had always been stronger than anything else inside of him. It was stronger than hunger and it was even stronger than the moral code harpies can’t break – shouldn’t break. Yes. It makes sense that Tsutomu’s desire to surpass and go beyond what should be possible is what caused them to break down as a pair of lovers.

   Tsutomu returned a little while later and he stuffed his gob with fish. He ate eagerly whilst Nagisa groomed him.

   ‘So, does the pod know we found the humans?’ Tsutomu asked with his mouth full of fish.

   ‘No, and I think we shouldn’t tell them.’ Nagisa said decisively.

   Tsutomu swallowed hard. ‘I disagree.’

   ‘Oh come on, Tsu-chan. They don’t need to know.’ Nagisa argued.

   ‘Well, if I leave. We can’t just say I died.’ Tsutomu pointed out.

   ‘Yes, “if”. No offence, Tsu-chan but what if the humans never come back and you don’t get the opportunity to run away with them like a true heathen; a true pariah.’ Nagisa said.

   ‘Well, I want to believe. I think I meant something to them too.’ Tsutomu said.

   Tsutomu, unfortunately, was not magically whisked away by his humans that day or even the following day. Instead, the pod returned to check up on them. That was arguably one of the worst things that could have happened because it took the sirens a few mere seconds to guess accurately what they had missed in the past few days.

   As a huge group, they all sat amongst the low tide waves and enjoyed the fizz of seafoam.

   ‘You two could have gotten yourselves killed!’ Makoto shrieked and was as pale as snow.

   Tsutomu and Nagisa listened petulantly to his lecture but honestly, despite what had happened. They had no regrets about finding the humans.

   ‘I’m impressed the lil guys were able to swim that far.’ Rin said.

   ‘Thank you. I am quite proud of myself.’ Nagisa said.

   ‘And you made friends with them?!’ Kou exclaimed to Tsutomu.

   ‘I think so. They gave me food and they played music for me and mussed up my hair and I swear one of them called me “cute”. Humans speak a hard to understand language so I could be wrong.’ Tsutomu rambled.

   ‘Good luck.’ Haru mumbled.

   ‘He’s right. The humans mightn’t ever come back. I sure hope they don’t.’ Makoto fussed.

   However, Makoto was soon proven wrong. Everyone was proven wrong. The humans, against all odds, reappeared before Tsutomu in a miraculous display.

   They had returned as silently as the seasons. Sometime during the night, they had landed themselves upon the beach and had fixed themselves too it. Their large thing looked unnatural amid the natural environment and it couldn’t be more beautiful.

   The penguin harpies could see the humans’ thing from their burrow. Tsutomu was straight out of the burrow as soon as he saw it. He didn’t even bid farewell to Nagisa; likely because Nagisa soon toddled along behind him but nowhere near keeping pace with Tsutomu.

   The pair looked up at the wooden abomination and they could hear sounds from within. The sounds of fire and speech but it was hard to make out. So they stood there at its base waiting and watching for something to happen.

   ‘No fuckin’ way.’

   The red-haired human returned and he bore a huge grin as he clutched onto a branch they had fastened to the wooden thing. He twisted around and shouted some things the penguin harpies vaguely understood. They assumed he was calling his friends as soon, more humans gathered with him and they all looked down upon the two penguin harpies.

   ‘Look, it’s one from the other night. And he’s got a friend.’ the red-haired human announced.

   That human then jumped down from his thing and howled in pain when he landed; crumpling in on himself and clutching at his foot.

   ‘Shut up, Tendo. You fool.’ one of the humans shouted.

   ‘Fuck you, Jin-kun. My ankle really hurts.’

   The red-haired human got up, protestant and pouty, and was then quick to recover. He got into Tsutomu and Nagisa’s personal space. He seemed happy to know that they were friendly as he marvelled at them.

   He crouched down next to Tsutomu so they were at eye-level. ‘So, little cutie, what are you and your friend doing? We’re mean humans. Aren’t you going to kill us? Isn’t that what harpies are s’posed to do?’

   Tsutomu glanced at Nagisa who was suddenly very on edge.

   ‘Tsu-chan… This human… he’s done some very despicable things. To his own family. He – He broke the code. D-Do you know what that means?’ Nagisa said after inspecting this human a little close.

   Tsutomu couldn’t even tell. He seemed normal to him.

   The red-haired human turned his head. ‘Oh-ho-ho-ho. Seems like this little harpy wants to punish me.’

   ‘Don’t tease the wild life, Tendo!’

   ‘I’m not, I’m not.’ The human waved his hands at his friends as he spoke. He then returned his attention to the harpies.

   ‘Now’s your chance, Tsu-chan.’ Nagisa whispered and he began to back away. Tears in his eyes.

   ‘Was it something I said?’ the human pondered.

   ‘I WANT TO COME WITH YOU!’ Tsutomu screamed at the top of his lungs at the red-haired human.

   ‘What the fuck, mate?’ The red-haired human screwed up his face. ‘No need to yell.’

   ‘Bye, bye, Tsu-chan. Good luck and I love you.’ Nagisa said and he continued to waddle off. His shoulders slumped and Tsutomu’s heart broke.

   Equivalent exchange was needed. He would have to sacrifice the security and love he had here for adventure and his lifelong goal: to surpass.

   Tsutomu steeled his conviction. He tried again.

   ‘I WANT TO COME WITH YOU!’ Tsutomu screamed.

   ‘I think it’s trying to tell us something.’

   ‘I just wish he wasn’t screaming in my ear. I’ve got a headache now… hey, little buddy, where’s your friend going?’ the red-haired human asked.

   ‘Nagisa and I…. have broken up because I want to come with you.’ Tsutomu tried to explain but the difference in languages was too much.

   The other humans soon joined them on the beach. They tried not to huddle around Tsutomu but they were. Nagisa was watching from afar; wishing that the humans would just hurry up and abduct his mate already. He didn’t want to be agony any more. He wanted to get used to the loneliness.

   ‘I WANT TO COME WITH YOU!’ he screamed and screamed.

   ‘Do you have a name?’ the huge, hulking human asked at long last; taking charge of the situation.

   ‘Tsutomu.’ The penguin harpy replied and he patted himself. He vaguely understood what had been asked of you.

   ‘Nod if you understand me.’ The huge hulking human said, he bowed his head.

   Tsutomu nodded in reply; a little uncertain.

   ‘So this is true: your name is Tsutomu.’

   Tsutomu nodded.

   Progress. A few of the humans whispered amongst themselves.

   ‘Good, good. I am called Ushi-Waka. Do you understand? I am Ushi-Waka.’

   Tsutomu nodded. ‘You. Ushi-Waka.’

   He smiled, briefly, before returning to his very serious expression. ‘Do you want something from us?’

   ‘Yes.’ Tsutomu stated.

   ‘I can’t believe. Never thought I’d see the day.’ a human mumbled.

   ‘Oh shut up,’ the old human grumbled, ‘it would seem that penguin harpies use a very old form of our language.’

   ‘Can you tell us what?’ Ushi-Waka asked.

   ‘I WANT TO COME WITH YOU!’ Tsutomu screamed.

   Ushi-Waka shook his head. ‘I don’t understand.’

   This time, Tsutomu pointed at their wooden thing.

   ‘You want our ship?’ Ushi-Waka asked uncertainly.

   Tsutomu nodded excitedly.

   The red-haired human sauntered towards Ushi-Waka. ‘Wakatoshi-kun, let me have a crack at this.’ he said with a puffed-out chest.

   He crouched down in front of Tsutomu and stared at him with beady eyes. ‘So, nod if you understand?’  

   Tsutomu nodded. Why were they doing this again?

   ‘I’m called Tendo. Can you say that – “Tendo”?’

   ‘You. Tendo.’ Tsutomu said with a nod.

   What happened next was unprecedented for both the humans and for Tsutomu as Tendo the Red-Haired Human began to hop around and flap his arms. No one appeared to have any understanding as to why he was doing that.

   ‘Hm… I thought that would work. I heard once that penguins have happy feet. Like to tap dance.’ he mused. ‘Okeydokey, little buddy. Tsutomu, right? Tsutomu-kun. Would… you… like… to… come… with… us?’

   Tendo exaggerated himself with his question and he made wild hand gestures but somehow, Tsutomu was able to guess what he meant. The weird waving was supposed to be the sea, pointing to the humans must mean “us” and he couldn’t quite correlate the finger movements similar to walking but he knew they were supposed to represent walking. Still, he stared blankly.

   ‘Nod if you understand?’ Tendo asked.

   ‘Yes.’ Tsutomu said with a bowed head. ‘I… want… to… go… with… you.’

   ‘I GOT IT! Woohoo!’ Tendo cheered. ‘I was right. He wants to be our friend. D’aw, isn’t that cute?’

   Ushi-Waka returned. ‘That is… cute, I suppose.’ He mused and he put his huge hand on Tsutomu’s head. He was heavy. He then began to muss up Tsutomu’s hair. This cemented that this obsession with putting hands in hair was some sort of affection thing between humans in Tsutomu’s mind.

   ‘But, he’s kind of small, isn’t he? Not to mention, far too friendly. We can’t take him with us. Besides, I don’t want to break up him and his friend. He probably has family and a girlfriend.’ Ushi-Waka reasoned.

   ‘I want to come with you!’ Tsutomu yelled.

   ‘I dunno, Wakatoshi-kun. I think he really likes us. Besides, if he’s not useful to us we can always eat him.’ Tendo suggested and he laughed when he saw Tsutomu go pale.

   ‘Don’t be so hasty, Ushijima-kun.’ the old human roused as he came forward.

   He playfully kicked Ushi-Waka’s leg. Tsutomu realised that Ushi-Waka had a lot of names because the humans also seemed to be calling him “Ushijima” and “Wakatoshi”. Tsutomu wondered why.

   ‘Look at this critter.’ The old man grabbed Tsutomu’s legs and forced apart his claws. Tsutomu screeched and fell over but the old human was not deterred. ‘These aren’t penguin feet, lads. Look, they’re hawk feet or something. Look at those talons: like bloody ice-picks. Rumour has it harpies have claws of literal iron.’

   The old man then grabbed Tsutomu’s flipper. ‘And look at these feathers. The kid could survive an avalanche with these. And these wings are sturdy as anything. Feels like a sheet of steel. You sons of bitches are blind. We have a very rare opportunity on our hands and are you fellas that thick that you want to say “no”? I mean, we’ll have to train ‘im up: teach him to speak, to fight – probably – as well as some behavioural problems; can’t let the blighter do as he pleases. Makin’ friends here and there but other than that. He’s a diamond in the rough. And you boys think we should let him stay on this piss stain island?!’

   The old human dropped Tsutomu then helped him get up. He cackled and grinned widely.

   ‘So, are we pirates or are we fools?’ the old human shouted. His voice was thick with pride.

   ‘PIRATES!’ all of the younger humans shouted that back in agreement.

   Although Tsutomu didn’t understand why, his heart did swell.

   ‘Welcome to the Shiratorizawa Pirates, penguin harpy.’ the old man said fondly and he mussed up Tsutomu’s hair.

   ‘So, who’s going to toilet train our new pet? Dibs on not being it.’ Tendo shouted.

   Later in the day, upon discovering there was nothing but harsh terrain beyond the boundaries of the beach, the humans grew disinterested in the island. Tsutomu however was an endless source of entertainment for them. A novelty. Nagisa watched from afar; wishing they would leave already with his ex-mate.

   When they brought Tsutomu onto the ship, the humans tried their best to extrapolate Tsutomu’s needs from him all whilst piling their own needs onto him; as well as names. Tsutomu knew his needs very well and it had been very hard explaining how he fasts in the winter, overeats in the autumn, and it’s as per usual during summer and spring; like now but the humans didn’t seem to get that he needed to eat a lot more than him.

   And on top of that, there was the matter of grooming. Tsutomu struggled to explain how he needed to the groomed in order to keep his feathers in top notch condition and the humans quickly grew bored by his foreign words and charades so they dumped it all onto one person and Tsutomu, honestly, couldn’t be more thrilled because they dumped it onto the human who had played the funny wooden thing with the stick. Tsutomu was still not certain of this human’s name – Ken… something? Shira….maybe? – but he was certain of those lovely eyes. They were a gorgeous brown-grey and reminded Tsutomu of rocks; especially as they were so hardened.

   This human was made of patience, it would seem.

   ‘So, I just gave to brush your… oils out and spread them through your feathers?’ he asked.

  ‘YES!’ Tsutomu replied exuberantly.

   ‘I’m sure Tendo won’t miss his hair brush. We’ll get you a dog brush at the next port we stop.’

   Tsutomu nodded but he didn’t understand.

   ‘And since I’m the only one who knows, it’s going to be my responsibility isn’t it?’ He sighed. ‘No matter what the others say, huh?’

   ‘Yes?’ Tsutomu agreed but he didn’t fully understand what this pretty human seemed to lament.

   The human organised a “hair brush” and Tsutomu kind of liked how it felt among his feathers. The human wasn’t the perfect caretaker but he would be sufficient and, if he were to be the only human in charge of Tsutomu’s grooming, then he may increase his proficiency with it. The brush felt nice on Tsutomu but there was something odd. During the entire session, his heart seemed to beat faster and he was a little bit shaky. A good kind of shaky though. It probably meant nothing.

   By dusk, Tsutomu had already learned many new, human words such as the names of his ‘crewmates’ – what they liked to call each other within their colony. But most, the words Tsutomu used were words he was assured he would have plenty of use for such as: ship, pirate, flag, sails, mast, fuck, bitch, prick, and shit. For some reason, one that Tsutomu didn’t understand, Ushi-Waka disproved of some of the words he had been taught.

   The boat – the wood thing that carried the humans – took off and it was a strange sight to see the humans running about, getting things in order so they could leave. It was unheard of for Tsutomu. He stood by the railing: the wooden guard put up so no one could fall overboard.

   ‘Bye, bye Nagisa! I love you!’ Tsutomu shouted and he watched as the shoreline began to move away from him. In that instant, Tsutomu felt his heart break but he liked it. It was a good sort of pain. He welcomed it. It’s what he had wanted from the moment he had come out of his egg as a chick.

   The humans stopped rushing around and were satisfied with the hard work they had put in. They called Tsutomu into their burrow. It was complex with lots of “rooms” and each “room” had a different function. They took him to the “room” which was also called the “kitchen”. The purpose it served was as a place to eat. Tsutomu thought that was silly. You could eat anywhere. Why designate a certain place for it?

   They sat him down and gave him a “plate” which was smooth object used to carry food. They also gave him a place to sit – called a “chair” – which was at their “table” which was another thing they used to eat off of. It seemed needlessly complicated to Tsutomu but perhaps that’s just what humans were.

   The old human – Washijo – sat at the short end of the table which the other humans referred to as “the head” which made no sense to Tsutomu. Ushi-Waka sat at the other short end of the table.

   ‘To our new crewmate: Tsutomu the Penguin Harpy!’ Washijo yelled.

   The crewmates yelled back and held their “glasses” high. Glasses were used to hold water and other liquids. Tsutomu thought it was the most useful thing the humans had made thus far; excluding their wonder the boat. He just wished they had made glasses so that he could hold them. He didn’t see purpose in randomly holding them high though.

   ‘Onya, Tsutomu-kun.’ Tendo beamed from across from Tsutomu; rocking on his chair and feet on the table.

   ‘Manners, Satori!’ Ushi-Waka barked.

   ‘Don’t be such a mother hen, Wakatoshi-kyun. We’re pirates. Who says we have to have manners?’ Tendo sighed but he took his feet off of the table anyways.

   ‘Is it time for Washijo-san’s famous speech yet?’ the human with two-coloured hair – Semi – asked with a sarcastic twinkle in his eye.

   ‘It’s always time for my famous speech!’ Washijo yelled. ‘When I was just an ankle-biter, I had a dream. I wanted to be strong. Stronger than anyone else before me. The age of exploration was just upon us as a human nation. We were making boats bigger and better than before. We were starting to dare to dream dreams greater than we’d ever imagined.

    ‘I remember my father telling about my search for my true vocation: “Now son this choice deserves deliberation. You could be a doctor or a lawyer. My son, why not consider a more challenging career?”

   ‘And that took me straight to the big top: I wanted that challenge so I joined the Navy. The fucking bastards.’

   ‘The fucking bastards.’ Tendo echoed with Washijo and was shot a nasty look from the old man. It was met with faux innocence and a shrug.

   ‘I was taught that pirates were to be feared and hated. They lied, and cheated, and murdered, and raped, and pillaged their way across the seas. And by the devil, did pirates do that. So, I found my solace amongst the millions with white flags. It was fine. I got stronger and stronger but the sons of bitches they put me in charge of? Fuck-wits! Motherfucking Shirogane got all the good ones, but I digress so I gave up. It was time to see how the other half lived because I’d been put through Hell because of some of those pirate scumbags.

   ‘And it’s been the best decision I’ve made yet! In all seventy-one years that I’ve lived: the best decision!’

   ‘Aw, thank you Tanji-kun.’ Tendo piped up.

   ‘Don’t call me that, you ginger bastard.’ Washijo snarled.

   Tendo sniggered.

   ‘So tell me lads, would you say joining the Shiratorizawa Pirates is the best decision you’ve ever made?’ Washijo asked.

   The crewmen shouted in agreement. Washijo paused, so he could catch his breath. He had been doing a lot of shouted but at the same time, the pause felt rehearsed to Tsutomu as the crew shifted. They smiled and readied themselves; as though about to speak on cue.

   ‘Oi! Satori, what did you want to be before being a pirate?’ Semi asked with an air of pretence pretentiousness. ‘I was going to be a public servant.’

   ‘Fuck off, you hate literally everyone.’ Tendo teased.

   ‘What better way to piss people off than through bureaucracy?’ Semi asked with a thin smile.

   ‘Oh-ho-ho, the boy’s got brains. I was going to be a singer, you know, dear Eita-kyun.’ Tendo sang.

   ‘I was going to be a chef known in all the seas!’ Reon – the meal-maker – piped up. ‘But now, I just cook on them.’

   ‘I was going to be a barber. Thank fuck, I’m not.’ Yamagata added in next.

   Others in the crew took turns to reminisce about unfortunate vocations they could have pursued if they had been recruited by the Shiratorizawa. Then, the opportunity to speak reached Shirabu.

   Shirabu was the name of the pretty human with floppy, light brown hair and lovely brown-grey eyes and was in charge of brushing Tsutomu and he played the strange instrument that was made to sit underneath the chin. He smiled then sighed.

   ‘I would have been a violinist. My parents paid good attention to me to learn. I’m glad they didn’t get any of their investment back.’ Shirabu snarled.

   The crew cheered. Tsutomu was entranced by the answer but it didn’t hold much meaning for him as there were many words that Shirabu used that Tsutomu didn’t understand.

   ‘So, Captain Ushijima, what would you have been had you not been discovered by our beloved Commander-in-Chief?’ Shirabu asked.

   Something about what Shirabu had said in description of Ushi-Waka caught Tsutomu’s ear. He didn’t know why but the word he used was very familiar to something Tsutomu had in his natural vocabulary.

   ‘I wanted to be a gardener or a florist. Something dealing in cosmetic plants; not agriculture although the thrill of growing my own food is something I do enjoy.’ Ushi-Waka replied very seriously to the amusement of his fellow humans.

   ‘Now, we cruise to foreign shores as we please; and sometimes, there’s a little bit of lying and cheating and murdering involved but whatever. We’re pirates. And when it comes to buccaneers, it’s all about perception. To me? We’re gentleman of fortune; members of a noble brotherhood in my opinion! What more could you want?

   ‘Tsutomu! Welcome aboard. Here on the _Intense Force_ , we’ll love you like a son. Here, it’s all for one and one for all. You’ll be brave, and free! The soul of indecency! You’ll be loyal and fair and on the square and most importantly! When you’re a Shiratorizawa Pirate, you’ll be in the best of company! The strongest pirates in this great Rainbow Age!’

   ‘Aye!’ the crew yelled. Once more, the humans raised their glasses in a celebratory manner.

   As they did that, it finally dawned on Tsutomu why “Captain Ushijima” was such a phrase. The word Shirabu had used in his human language was a similar term Tsutomu would use to address the leaders in charge of his old colony. Leaders such as Captain Erinyes which prompted an unusual behaviour from him.

   ‘USHI-WAKA IS A WOMAN?’ he yelled and he stood up on his seat.

   Eyes went wide and Tendo started sniggering once more from where he sat.

   ‘D-Did little Tsutomu say what I think he said?’ Semi asked.

   Tsutomu glanced around. Did he say something wrong?

   ‘Tsutomu-kun, could you please repeat what you said? Remember, indoor voice.’ Tendo asked.

   ‘Is Ushi-Waka… a woman?’ Tsutomu asked.

   ‘I do believe he said what I think he said.’ Semi decided.

   With a deep sigh, Ushi-Waka responded: ‘No, I am not a woman.’

   ‘B-But you’re the leader…? Aren’t you?’ Tsutomu asked.

   ‘Now, your speaking too quiet, Tsutomu-kun.’ Tendo pouted.

   ‘Ushi-Waka is the leader, isn’t he?’ Tsutomu asked.

   ‘Yes. I am the Captain of the Shiratorizawa Pirates. Washijo-san is our Commander-in-Chief and Soekawa-kun is our Vice Captain.’ Ushi-Waka explained.

   Tsutomu’s eyebrows twitched and he looked incredibly confused; even more confused than when it was explained to him how “toilets” worked.

   ‘Is it possible that harpies come from a matriarchal society?’ Shirabu asked Tsutomu.

   Tsutomu tilted his head.

   ‘In your colony – among your family – are only women harpies are allowed to lead?’ Shirabu asked; this time speaking slower and making hand gestures to help Tsutomu understand.

   ‘Yes.’ Tsutomu said with a nod.

   ‘Welcome to the patriarchy then; enjoy your male privilege. Even as a bird you are likely to have more rights than most women.’ Shirabu said, deadpan but jokingly, to a blank stare.

   Tsutomu was busy trying to comprehend the strange new information he had just been given. Then it clicked into place.

   Tsutomu was blinded by this new revelation and it drove him to act as he saw according. That meant, he needed to get up onto the table. He crushed his plate underfoot and every squeaked and barked at him to get down. Shirabu tugged on his tail and it felt similar as to when Nagisa was grooming him rather than anything else.

   ‘I… want…’ Tsutomu growled and he managed to pull himself out of Shirabu’s clutches. He took a deep breath and marched down the table towards Ushi-Waka. He stared straight into Ushi-Waka’s stern eyes.

    ‘I want to surpass you as Captain. I want to lead this colony!’ he announced; his shoulders squared and conviction strong.

   Shock was the first thing to permeate through the galley. Then a few whispers but Ushi-Waka remained stoic. Staring directly into Tsutomu’s eyes. Waiting. Watching. Analysing. It was intimidating to the least. Ushi-Waka was cold and fierce; conveyed all sorts of ruthless and merciless sentiments with his harden eyes alone. Tsutomu quaked and sweated; squirmed and became nervous.

   ‘You want to… become Captain?’ Ushi-Waka repeated sternly.

   ‘Y-Yes! I want to surpass you!’ Tsutomu shouted; bumbling his human words but his message conveyed nonetheless.

   Another long minute or two of silence proceeded wherein odd looks were exchanged and Tsutomu was made to be even more uncomfortable. It was only broken by laughter.

   Washijo began to cackle. He crossed his arms, grinned wide, and just laughed his head off. He happened to have a very abrasive laugh. His crewman awkwardly joined in with the exceptions of Tsutomu who merely blushed as he was the butt of the joke, Ushi-Waka who was merely too stern to laugh, and Tendo. He was actually laughing for real.

   ‘What a cute kid. I like this boy.’ Washijo announced. ‘We made a good decision bringing him with us.’

   ‘W-W-W-W-W…. Wait!’ Tendo rambled and he made grandiose hand gestures; as though he were trying to physically break through the situation. ‘This is a… democracy, is it… not?’ he asked with his nose in the air. He even plonked his feet back onto the table for effect as he rocked on his chair.

   ‘Feet off the table, Satori.’ Ushi-Waka reprimanded.

   ‘Depends, Tsutomu-kyun, you wish to challenge Wakatoshi-kun’s authority. What do you say? Feet on or off the table?’ Tendo asked.

   Tsutomu glanced around. Everyone was just as confused as he. Or maybe they were glaring. Those looks seemed incredibly similar. The situation suddenly became a lot more volatile – and political – than he ever could have imagined. It seemed fifty-fifty. They didn’t have tables in the Icy or Sand Nests. They also had different social structures. What was the good answer to Tendo’s seemingly banal question?

   ‘On?’ Tsutomu guessed.

   Ushi-Waka was visibly shocked by Tsutomu’s guess but the others made thoughtful glances.

   ‘Are you all seriously planning a mutiny because the penguin harpy will let feet on the table?’ Ushi-Waka asked.

   ‘It’s a viable campaign strategy.’ Reon shrugged. ‘I mean, I don’t like the policy personally but hey. This is – apparently – a democracy and I like to think I’m open-minded and able to listen to both sides of the story.’

   ‘I cannot believe this.’ Ushi-Waka grumbled.

   Washijo laughed harder than before. He clutched his stomach.

   ‘Do you have any other policies to declare, Tsutomu?’ Semi asked, teasing.

   ‘No overfishing the krill.’ Tsutomu said. That was always a good one back at the colonies.

   ‘You’re a riot, Tsutomu!’ Kawanishi grinned.

   ‘And your stance on blazing it?’ Tendo asked seriously. ‘Wakatoshi-kun won’t let me on the ship. What’s your stance?’

   ‘I will let you blaze it?’ Tsutomu guessed. Agreeing with his fellow seamen seemed like a good strategy.

   Tendo threw his hands in the air and hollered: ‘Tsutomu for Captain! Tsutomu for Captain!’

   Their fellow crewmates chuckled. Ushi-Waka had never felt more offended in his life. He was utterly flabbergasted – and it even showed on his face!

   ‘I am – I am clearly – b-but!’ Ushi-Waka had lost every ounce of his stoic composure and his crewmates were relishing in it but Tsutomu was apologetically awkward in response.

   ‘All in favour for Captain Tsutomu?!’ Tendo shrieked. ‘Say “Yippee-kai-aye, mother-’

   ‘Wait, Tendo, you fool.’ Washijo’s voice cut through the excited din easily. There was a sly look in his sunken eyes and a lopsided grin cracked across his face.

   ‘Fuck you. All in favour say “Yippee-kai-yay, mother-’ Tendo attempted to rile the crowd but once more he was interrupted by Washijo:

   ‘No, you listen here, son.’ Washijo snarled. ‘The best way to work out whether or not we should allow this mutiny is for them to have a fight.’

   ‘A fight?’ Tsutomu whispered. He turned his head. ‘D-Does that mean what I think it means?’ He asked Shirabu sitting next to him. Across from them, Tendo’s eyes had absolutely lit up and he was acting giddier than Nagisa with an octopus for breakfast.

   ‘Oh yeah, definitely.’ Shirabu affirmed. ‘They want blood. They want you and Ushi-Waka to go at it with each other. Violently. You know what I mean, right?’

   ‘Unfortunately…’ Tsutomu murmured; slipping into his harpy tongue but Shirabu got the gist of the odd word Tsutomu used. It was quite obvious given his despairing expression.

   There was no backing out. Tsutomu had challenged Ushi-Waka for captaincy and apparently, the appropriate thing was to fight. Tsutomu was confident fighting other harpies because he was well aware of their own physical limitations. Humans were unknown territory. They were terrestrial creatures and masters of the marine at once. Tsutomu was almost jealous. He felt foolish amongst them; waddling around and flapping his arms. He was jealous of their opposable thumbs too.

   It was Ushi-Waka against Tsutomu. Their crewmates in the middle, pressed against the railing and cheering. Baying for blood with eager hands and hoarse throats. Eyes wide and excited. Tsutomu was terrified. He was unarmed. Ushi-Waka was perusing a selection of weapons that Tendo was offering him. Whoever said humans were harmless was dead wrong. Humans may not have claws or fangs but they more than made for it with their tools.

   ‘I intend to go easy on you, Tsutomu. Allow you to learn the error for your ways. I shall not be challenged.’ Ushi-Waka stated firmly; as loud as thunder and just as godly.

   ‘D’aw, Wakatoshi-kun, you are too kind. But don’t cha think it’d be more fun to obliterate the kid? Annihilate him? Y’know, have some actual fun?’ Tendo asked.

   Ushi-Waka glared at Tendo who pouted in response. Ushi-Waka sighed and selected his weapon. It was long, iron stick with a pointed tip. It was – Tsutomu believes anyway – called a spear and it was considered a primitive hunting utensil but it still was capable of plenty of slaughter.

   ‘Don’t let ‘im down easy, Wakatoshi!’ Washijo shouted with his hands around his mouth to amplify his voice.

   ‘With all due respect sir… Tsutomu is a new recruit and relatively young. Don’t any of you have some form of decency?’ Ushi-Waka asked.

   ‘Nope!’ Semi yelled out with a callous grin.

   ‘On with the show, Ushi-Waka!’ Reon added.

   Ushi-Waka selected a long, iron rod: a spear is what the humans had called it. It had a jagged tip and quite frankly, Tsutomu was afraid of it. It looked like it could easily disembowel him although he felt that Ushi-Waka was somewhat more merciful than that. If he was lucky, Tsutomu would only be lightly pierced but somehow, he thought that was unrealistic.

   There was a cold, solemn glare across Ushi-Waka’s face. It moulded his eyes and turned him stony. He was prepared to do what he needed in this fight. Meanwhile, Tsutomu was concentrating very hard on not urinating out of terror. He has had some brilliantly bad ideas in his lifetime but none of them compared to how momentously bad this one was.

   ‘Fight! Fight! Fight!’ Washijo, Tendo, and Kawanishi chanted intimidatingly.

   Ushi-Waka sighed and he stretched himself out briefly. Tsutomu flapped his wings and prepared himself for the worst. There was no way he could take an armed human but he couldn’t back out. He may as well try. He took a deep breath and his entire life’s motivation flared to life. It couldn’t have picked a better time to do so.

   He wanted to be the best. He didn’t need much more than that to remind him that he was inferior just because Ushi-Waka had his own, manmade weapons. Tsutomu was a predator too. An apex one as well. His body had been birthed by gods and goddesses. Humans were just lumps of clay with life breathed into them. Knowing this was a comfort to Tsutomu.

   Ushi-Waka, in spite of all his height and bulk, spurred forth swiftly. He thrust his spear forward and caught a menacing gleam of moonlight. Ushi-Waka was silent and strong. Tsutomu squeaked as he ducked beneath and he slid on his belly. The wood rubbed against him oddly. It was easier doing it on ice.

   Tsutomu popped up behind Ushi-Waka. His claws noisily scraped against the deck so Ushi-Waka quickly found him. He swung his spear around first and his body followed like fluid. Tsutomu deftly avoided the swing of the spear and stepped in closer to Tsutomu.

   The others saw it. There was a slight change in demeanour. His facial expression turned serious and he quietened himself in every way: in his voice and in his body. Tsutomu had finally gotten his footing and now, he was ready to go on the attack.

   He thrust his flippers forward and pushed into Ushi-Waka with all the might he had. He headbutted against Ushi-Waka’s side and stumbled back. He raised his right foot into a defensive stance before kicking out violently with his claws.

   Tsutomu made contact with Ushi-Waka’s upper thigh. A slight scratch wasn’t even made; Ushi-Waka barely reacted but he did tilt his head slight and there was a faint, odd glimmer of being impressed inside his dark, olive eyes. He nodded and then he remembered, blithely, that he was supposed to be in the middle of a fight so he continued his onslaught.

   With a decisive, downwards motion of his spear, Ushi-Waka was able to make a very starting blow to the top of Tsutomu’s head. His eyes bugged and his knees went weak. They gave out almost immediately so he plopped down noisily.

   ‘…I’m sorry…’ he mumbled.

   ‘You will learn.’ Ushi-Waka sagely replied. He sounded wise rather than mad or proud. That was a comfort to Tsutomu. ‘You have a skill set that is very niched but it shall be useful once we hone it.’

   ‘That belly slide – penguin tackle, heheh – was great. None of these kids could do that.’ Boasted Washijo; his hands exuberantly thrust into the air with a grin smeared across his face.

   Tsutomu brightened up with a smile. ‘Really?’

   ‘Well I’m not risking splinters in my stomach.’ Semi shrugged.

   ‘Whatever. A loss is a loss as far as I’m concerned.’ Shirabu piped up, snobby and avoidant of the scene. He crossed his arms and looked away; petulant and pouty. Because of this, Tsutomu was now very much overcome by a strong desire to gain Shirabu’s approval.

   ‘Kenjirou-kun is right though. A loss is a loss so why don’t we spoil our little baby penguin and find him a game he can win at.’ Tendo chirruped with a chipper grin that went from ear to ear. He bounced on the ball of his foot. He looked far too happy.

   ‘Tsutomu!’ Kawanishi called out. ‘I’d be very much afraid, if I were you.’

   ‘Huh? Why?!’ he panicked.

   ‘You’ll see.’ Semi added with a wink.

   Tsutomu, however, was not scared because he was pumped full of blood and adrenaline from his fight with Ushi-Waka and besides: Tendo looked so happy. It was obviously going to be a fun game; whatever it was he had in store for him.

   ‘I’ll go grab what we need.’ Tendo beamed.

   He was quick as a flash. He sprinted down into the kitchen and back with a scrambling step but he was swift nonetheless. He had managed to haul a lot of jugs and cans and whatnot. Tsutomu wandered closer; wondering what Tendo had brought. Everything he brought stank like a belching shark. It was terrible. He heard the slosh of water from inside everything Tendo had brought with him. With both cues, Tsutomu realised that these were the special waters that the crew had been drinking earlier at dinner. Tsutomu wondered why Tendo had brought them.

   Tendo was grinning like a madman. Most of the crew gathered around and were taking from Tendo’s stock willy-nilly. He didn’t seem to mind. Tendo, did however, jealously guard one silvery pack of liquid.

   ‘Are you really planning on drinking that?’ Reon asked, disgusted.

   ‘Of course. It’s goon: it’s the nectar of my people. Idn’t that right, Wakatoshi-kyun, my love.’ Tendo replied defensively.

   ‘The common people, I suppose.’ Ushi-Waka replied shyly as he put his mouth to a can.

   ‘What’s going on?’ Tsutomu asked.

   ‘You’re going to lose your innocence. That’s what’s going on.’ Semi replied.

   ‘Huh?’ Tsutomu tilted his head. There must have been some sort of communication error or linguistic barrier between them because that cleared nothing up at all.

   ‘Okey-dokey, Tsutomu-kyun, the game is simple. We’ll sing a song and then you’ll take a drink. It’ll be fun.’ Tendo said.

   ‘Oh, okay.’

   Tsutomu nodded voraciously. That was easy to understand.

   ‘Good, good…’ Tendo mumbled and he selected a see-through bottle filled with foamy, light brown liquid. ‘Do you prefer sweet or savoury?’

   Tendo used a mix of language that Tsutomu wasn’t wholly privy to.

   ‘Savoury?’ Tsutomu guessed. He wasn’t familiar with that word but he knew what “sweet” was so he assumed it meant the opposite.

   ‘Here. This’ll suit you then: it’s called “beer” – say it with me, Tsutomu: b-ere.’ Tendo replied.

   He swirled the liquid around inside the bottle. It made a tiny whirlpool and Tsutomu was absolutely enthralled by it. The foam ravaged the sides and it was interesting to see. Tsutomu wondered what the “bottle” was made out of as it had such almost magical properties to it. He had a feeling he was going to love this game.

   ‘B-ere.’ Tsutomu replied.

   ‘Onya, ya lil falla.’ Tendo grinned. He seemed to slip into an accent that was lost on most the crew, Tsutomu noticed. Tendo then took the cap off the bottle with a hollow _pop_!

  Tsutomu reached out for the bottle but he was denied at first by Tendo. Then the rousing song began:

   ‘He’s a piss pot through and through! He’s a bastard so they say!’ the crew sang heartily and Tsutomu grinned. It felt good to be bathed in such praise; he thinks. It no longer sounds like the language they had been communicating in seconds before.

   ‘Here, take it now.’ Tendo whispered beneath the song and he plugged the bottle into Tsutomu’s mouth without any warning. His eyes bugged and flippers wriggled.

 ‘He tried to go to Heaven but he went the wrong way! He went… Down!

                                                                                                              ‘Down!

                                                                                                                         ‘Siiippp….

                                                                                                                                         ‘Down!

                                                                                                                                                    ‘Siiippp….

                                                                                                                                                                    Down!’

   The song was perfectly interlocked. It was as though the crew had naturally known who was to sing which parts as they were in vastly different sounds. The crew had seamlessly become two parts of a whole choir without communication of any kind.

   Tsutomu drank greedily and breathed through his nose. The drink – whatever it was – tasted feral so he just wanted it off of his tongue and down his throat where he couldn’t taste it. His lips were covered in foam and his neck burned. His nose recoiled in horror from the stench of the drink.

   Then, he sputtered.

   Tsutomu could take it no more so he pulled himself away from the bottle. Into his hair and down his back, he was doused by what remained of the drink – the beer, yes, the beer that’s what it is called – and it made him all gross and sticky. He hated it. He dribbled onto the wooden deck.

   ‘What do we think of Tsutomu-kun?’ Tendo asked with a grandiose swing of his arms; like he was a performer.

   ‘He’s piss weak!’ the crew cried back like they were mockingly disappointed with him.

   That didn’t sound very nice. It certainly didn’t look nice. Tsutomu wiped his face and scowled.

   ‘You guys are mean!’ he whinged in his native tongue.

   The crew laughed.

   ‘It’s alright, Tsutomu-kun, we’ll build your tolerance up. We’ll start you on cruisers. They taste like lollies.’ Tendo said.

   Tsutomu still had no idea what they were saying anymore. There was no way Tendo and the others were speaking the language they had been before the song.

   Tsutomu took a deep breath and his body language stiffened. Shirabu sighed.

   ‘Tendo, at least make a genuine effort to soothe, Tsutomu.’ Shirabu roused as he rolled his eyes. ‘Tsutomu, would you like us to perform actual music; not Tendo’s low culture drivel?’

   ‘Oi, are you slagging my country’s culture?’ Tendo asked and Ushi-Waka put his hand on Tendo’s shoulder. Tendo surrendered with that.

   ‘You’ll use your thingy?’ Tsutomu asked, brightening up. His whole body seemed to lift.

   ‘My violin?’ Shirabu asked.

   ‘Yes! That!’ Tsutomu chirped.

   ‘Yes.’ Shirabu nodded.

   ‘I’d love that.’ Tsutomu said.

   With a sigh, Shirabu promised to be back soon. He was and he then tucked his chin over the base of his violin and put its bow to it. He explained to Tsutomu, in detail he could understand, exactly what he was doing beneath the bombastic rumble of his crewmates’ singing.

   ‘Hey Baba Reeba (Hey Baba Reeba), please pass us the reefer, I wish all the ladies (I wish that all the ladies) were bells in a tower (bells in a tower), and I was the bell boy, I’d dong ‘em every hour (dong ‘em every hour), Hey Baba Reeba (Hey Baba Reeba), please pass us the reefer….

   ‘….I wish that all the ladies (I wish that all the ladies) were air out to sea (air out to sea) and I was the sailboat then they’d all blow me (then they’d all blow me), Hey Baba Reeba (Hey Baba Reeba), please pass us the reefer….’

   The song bawdily droned on for far longer than Tsutomu considered necessary. It probably didn’t help that he didn’t get all the jokes. There was common infrequent laughter from everyone at one point or another; with the keen exception of Ushi-Waka who only ever chimed in for the “Hey Baba Reeba” refrained. Tsutomu found some solace in that.

   There was another comfort Tsutomu had and that was Shirabu who was diligently playing his own music. So, underneath a lovely night sky with a quiet, cool wind, the Shiratorizawa Pirates stood around their sky deck singing strange songs but they were accompanied by a lovely melody that did not match the lyrics and Tsutomu couldn’t be more enthralled. He had to sit down so he could focus solely on Shirabu. He stared, star-struck, as Shirabu slowly produced noises from his strange, wooden thing. It was amazing.

   Nobody went below deck that night. In the morning, everyone was a groggy mess with blank memories that were filled with presumptions of music. Tendo even woke up singing more of his strange songs from abroad: a place ‘round yonder; abroad even for most of the crew as Tsutomu managed to sleepily deduce hours ago. It was good though. The “party” may have started awfully for Tsutomu, it had definitely ended on a high note though. 

   Reon made everyone breakfast in the morning. However, something unusual and concerning was about to arise. Over breakfast, Tsutomu learned that it wasn’t odd for dear old Washijo to sleep in. He needed the sleep in his old age as it was practice for when he would die but this morning; Semi and Tendo both verified a strange testimony that because he was so angry and energetic, he needed to practice being dead. However, today, he had indeed overslept. In every case, he would wake when the ship smelled of sizzling bacon and eggs.

   Today, he had not.

   Therefore, there was much panic when everyone jumped from their seats and scrambled madly for where they had left Washijo passed out last; which was beneath the main sail which flew their Jolly Roger. This panic did include Tsutomu albeit he was clueless to the true extent of the panic and merely following the herd.

   Soekawa was nominated as bait for Washijo’s wrath quite unanimously. So, he knelt down in front of Washijo’s clammy body and grabbed his shoulders. He jiggled him lightly but there was no reaction. He cautiously looked over his shoulder and was silently encouraged by his crew to jiggle Washijo harder.

   ‘S-Sir,’ he mumbled awkwardly as he shook Washijo to-and-fro. He tried harder once more and then, finally to much bated breath, Washijo slowly opened his eyes.

   ‘F…Fuck.’ he grumbled, only to pass out once more. His eyes did not close so Soekawa had to shut the eyelids himself. It was a grotesque display that brought most the crew to tears but Ushi-Waka was silently unyielding.

   ‘Captain?’ Soekawa got up solemnly.

   ‘We’ll keep him hydrated for as long as we can. We’ve been sailing consistently for many hours now, I’m sure land is ahoy. We can find him a doctor, surely. However, we may have to prepare for the worst. Washijo-sensei is quite old, after all.’

   Audible sobs proceeded Ushi-Waka’s speech. Tsutomu included, whole-heartedly. Ushi-Waka took a deep breath. His breast rose sternly and then he exhaled. Tears dribbled down his cheeks. There was a brief mourning period for an alive man. Washijo was then taken delicately by Shibata and Yuushou. The process was painstakingly slow and akin to a funeral march. Tsutomu’s heart absolutely ached.

   Such despair would not be fitting for very long, thankfully. By the time Washijo was brought to his private room and tucked tightly underneath his sheets, he managed to awaken.

   ‘I – I ain’t dead, you dumb fucks.’ he growled. His voice was raspy and hoarse but at least he was alive.

   ‘You are old, sir.’ Ushi-Waka replied bluntly.

   ‘I’m seventy-one years young, laddie.’ His words quickly dissolved into wheezing and sputtering. Spittle flecked his wrinkly lips. He scowled. ‘Probably jus’ m’ liver actin’ up.’

   ‘That’s fine. You can live with only twenty percent of your liver, did you know?’ Tendo piped up; far too cheerfully but it was obvious it was a façade. Beneath his wide smile and eyes, it was easy to read that he was terrified by the prospect of losing Washijo.

   ‘I only got twenty percent o’ m’ liver, dumbass.’ Washijo cussed. He paused and took long, deep breaths. He seemed so frail. It was heartbreaking and gut-wrenching to see him this way. It was honestly pathetic. ‘Oi, Satori, gimme somethin’ to take m’ mind off things.’

   Tendo’s eyes slid to Ushi-Waka. He pursed his lips together. ‘Can… I?’

   ‘I shall make an exception. Cannabis is supposed to have medicinal properties, after all.’ Ushi-Waka sighed.

   ‘Can… I?’ Tendo asked again; still with such a stiff face.

   ‘Fer ol’ times’ sake, Wakatoshi.’ wheezed Washijo.

   ‘Fine.’ Ushi-Waka conceded.

   Tsutomu wasn’t allowed to be in the room after that. Everybody else willingly avoided it but still, Tsutomu sat at the door. A stench drifted out from beneath the door like the smoke. He stayed there for hours; battling the horrible stench so he could show solidarity to the old man.

   Eventually, Shirabu wandered past. He sighed, shook his head, then returned nonetheless with his thing; his violin. He stood, elegantly, acting like he was taller. His violin was making its pretty, whining noises once more.

   Tsutomu hoped that Shirabu wouldn’t mind if he interrupted.

   ‘What are they doing in there?’ Tsutomu asked.

   Shirabu continued stroking the strings on his violin. ‘Tendo is a kiffer. Washijo used to be a kiffer. Ushi-Waka doesn’t like it but hell, it’s the old man’s dying request.

   ‘I ain’t dyin’, pretty boy!’ Washijo screeched from inside.

   ‘Woah… I think I just saw what you just said…’ Tendo’s awed voice followed.

   ‘See.’ Shirabu said. His instrument whinnied as he fingered it.

   ‘What does that mean?’ Tsutomu whispered.

   ‘Let’s just say, there are plants some humans think we shouldn’t use. Cannabis is one of those plants. It can have a calming effect on people; or it can make them paranoid and do the opposite.’ Shirabu explained.

   ‘Oh.’ Tsutomu only half understood that. ‘Why?’

   ‘Hell if I know.’ Shirabu replied. He paused and he looked down on Tsutomu.

   Both noticed the other’s irritated eyes; they were slightly reddened in the corners.

   ‘Now that we’ve both shown loyalty to our dying old man, why don’t we go and sober up?’ Shirabu asked.

   ‘…Okay. I really hate the smell of that smoke, It’s not as bad as the taste of beer though.’ Tsutomu rambled as he sat up.

   ‘You sweet summer child.’ Shirabu deadpanned.

   Tsutomu looked at him confused but he followed Shirabu nonetheless. They returned to the Skydeck where they made a brilliant observation: land was so close. And Tsutomu had never seen anything like it. His eyes widened and his breath hitched in his throat as his jaw slackened. Shirabu was surprised to see Tsutomu so awed. He never thought he would ever see anyone so entranced by the sight of land – of human civilisation.

   Against wide, yellow scrapes of beach and thick, green forest there was a port town rising in the median. Buildings that were square and tall rose up. There were grey and sharp streets rolled through plush hills. Unnatural lights twinkled from afar and Tsutomu was utterly gobsmacked. Humans were nothing like he had been told.

   From the legends of yore, humans were supposed to be fearsome wielders of fire that could walk upright. That was it. They weren’t supposed to be making mind blowing structures and yet they were. They were tramping the globe without wings or flippers. They were making boats that floated all the whilst having fixed homes abroad. Their nests were utterly permanent. It looked as though not even nature could destroy them.

   ‘Is our pet penguin okay?’ Kawanishi asked. He waved his hand in front of Tsutomu and Shirabu doesn’t even know where he had come from; seemingly out of nowhere. There was no reaction from Tsutomu.

   ‘You know how we taught you swears the other night?’ Semi asked as he backed away from the main mast with a black cloth in hand.

   Tsutomu nodded vaguely.

   ‘Now would be a good time to apply what you’ve learned then.’ Semi explained.

   ‘Okay, um, what the fuck?’ Tsutomu asked.

   ‘Oh my God! He said the “fuck” word! He says it so cute?’ Kawanishi beamed.

   ‘Th-The “fuck word” – you say?’ Semi asked; picking up on Kawanishi’s odd phrasing to whom he merely shrugged.

   ‘To answer your crass question, humans are an absolute plague on the world because we build shit like this, run out of room, conqueror some countries, avoid calling colonisation even though we’re ruining the lives of the native people then have the nerve to call it “progress”. Understand?’ Shirabu asked.

   ‘Nope!’ Tsutomu enthusiastically replied.

   ‘Then I’m not explaining it a second time.’ Shirabu said.

   Heavy footsteps lumbered up wooden stairs and Ushi-Waka made a regal appearance. A few of the other crewmen, including a very spaced out Tendo, followed up onto the sky deck. Ushi-Waka was briefly gladdened by the sight of land and a town but then resumed his usual glower. He cleared his throat when he took the sky deck.

   ‘Those with bounties on this side of the ship; those without on the other.’ Ushi-Waka announced with accompanying hand motions.

   The crew was nicely split but Tsutomu remained in the middle as he wasn’t certain as to which side of the ship he was supposed to stand. On the left side of the ship Tendo, Semi, Shirabu, Soekawa, Kawanishi, and Yamagata with a solemn Ushi-Waka. Opposite them, on the right side of the ship, remained Reon, Shibata, Yuushou, Yunohama, and Akakura. They seemed slovenly but overall accepted the fact they had been split off from the other part of the crew.

   ‘Tsutomu-kun, you can come over here with us, if you like.’ Tendo said and he waved at Tsutomu. He seemed incredibly spacey as his eyes were unfocused and he was hunched over. He reeked too.

   ‘For now, yes.’ Ushi-Waka agreed. He then turned to the crew whom he had separated. ‘Your roles in the crew are vital and,’ Ushi-Waka glanced at Tendo who was staring at his fingers like he’d never seen fingers before, ‘I appreciate your ability to value stealth over strength. Never before has your role in the Shiratorizawa Pirates been more important. It will be up to you five to find a doctor willing to board _Intense Force_.’ He bowed his head as he ended his speech. Ushi-Waka had a bizarre manner of speech that allowed him to seem stony yet impassioned. He was able to bring pride of the faces of his crew regardless.

    ‘Yes, sir!’ they cried back, glowing with grounded self-importance.

   ‘Good. Washijo-sensei’s life lies on your shoulders.’ he said. ‘And I trust all of you.’

   The ship continued to sail towards the land and Tsutomu excitedly stood at the point of the ship. Beneath him, an eagle carved of wood raged but he liked to think it was like him – so excited by the prospect of a new world that it was just… freaking out.

   At this point of the ship, nobody decided to bother Tsutomu. They didn’t seem to be as excited as him. It probably didn’t help the death of their beloved Washijo was weighing on their shoulders but still. Weren’t they going somewhere new? Could that lighten them up?

   Tsutomu raced around the sky deck when he realised that the other members of the crew were preparing to dock. He’d never seen or smelt anything like this before and he wanted to see how his friends were doing. He was now charged with too much energy because of all the newness.

   It was an absolute shame that he wasn’t allowed to go down there and explore. Semi and Shirabu had to literally constrain him from following the party sent off to find a doctor. It was unfair!

   Understandable as a creature like Tsutomu would arouse too much attention than what they needed but still very much unfair!

   So, he had to watch from afar as humans – so many of them, too many of them – bustled past the port on their “streets” and into their “houses” and “shops”. Tsutomu desperately wanted to be a part of it; even once, even for a minute but right now, he was fastened to the ship.

   Most the crew were hiding below deck now except Semi. Semi had graciously decided to spend his time with Tsutomu and answer his funny, childlike questions about humanity and civilisation. He didn’t mind. Tsutomu’s enthusiasm for humanity was refreshing; especially since Semi had borne the brunt of the worst – as well as contributed to it.

   ‘So, why did Ushi-Waka split everyone based on “b-ount-ees”.’ Tsutomu asked.

   ‘Because we’re not good people, Tsutomu.’ Semi said as he rested his hands on the railing. He gazed out to the distance and watched a group of children play with their dog on the beach. He half smiled. He didn’t seem as intimidating now as he usually did. It was odd.

   ‘What do you mean? You guys are great people.’ Tsutomu chirruped.

   ‘To you? Fuck yeah, kid. But to them? Oh hell no. We’ve killed people, Tsutomu and one day, we will expect you to do the same.’

   ‘Yeah, and?’ Tsutomu asked.

   ‘Murder is wrong, Tsutomu?’ Semi reiterated.

   ‘But we’ll be killing bad people, right? Like people who hurt their families?’ Tsutomu asked.

   Nonplus thickened around them both.

   ‘I would guess so.’ Semi shrugged.

   ‘Then what’s the problem? That’s what harpies do; even harpies like myself. I was exiled by my colony because I hurt my family. I was lucky to escape with my life. That makes me a “freak” because harpies have moral codes that should make that impossible.’ Tsutomu rambled in his native tongue.

   Semi gazed, impressed. He got the gist of what Tsutomu meant. ‘So, you’re like outlaw royalty then?’

   ‘Yes.’ Tsutomu replied firmly even though he had no idea what “royalty” meant.

   ‘Sweet.’ Semi nodded. ‘So, where was I? I had more I wanted to lecture you about. What was I saying…? I can’t remember.’

   ‘I asked you about bounties, remember? What are they?’ Tsutomu asked.

   ‘That’s right. Well, see not all humans find it so easy to kill and when said humans meet other humans who can kill easily, shit hits the fan. These two groups hate each other. If that group is the government or the Marines and the other group is full of pirates, then the Marines put a “bounty” on the pirates. The bounties are good way to entice people with good intentions and bad methods – murder – to hunt the pirates and get rid of them thus creating a better world for people who aren’t the government or pirates. Or some bullshit like that. Us pirates? We have our own use of the bounty system. It lets us know who you should and shouldn’t fuck with.’ Semi explained.

   ‘I see.’ Tsutomu said. There had been words sprinkled through which he couldn’t translate but overall, he understood Semi’s explanation. ‘So that means you have a bounty?’

   ‘Indeed I do, kiddo.’ Semi replied. He smiled and revealed his blunt teeth. He seemed to gleam with arrogance.

   ‘So what is your bounty?’ Tsutomu asked. ‘If someone were to kill you because you were bad, you said they’d get something. What would they get? Is it flounder; better yet, is it boiled flounder – like Reon makes?’

   Tsutomu began to drool and a shiver went down Semi’s spine. Was this kid secretly planning to off them all and take the bounty?

   Probably not.

   ‘Not food. Money. Mon-ee. You use it to get boiled flounder, though. I’m worth eighty-five million. People call me “Punk Semi” though which isn’t the coolest red baron title but yeah.’ Semi sounded both conceited and bitter.

   Tsutomu noticed. ‘Is that… not good?’

   ‘Well, that’s fuckin’ tiny compared to “Proud” Shirabu, “Guess Monster” Tendo, and especially “Miracle Boy” Ushijima.’ Semi muttered.

   ‘Huh?’ Tsutomu asked.

   ‘Don’t mind me. It’s old shit now.’ Semi frowned and he patted the crown of Tsutomu’s head.

   ‘No, no, tell me. You sound like you need to talk about it.’ insisted Tsutomu.

   Semi smiled sympathetically and his hand returned to his side. It balled up and he put on a kind front.

   ‘You know what they say: bury the hatchet but know where its buried. Soekawa and Tendo have always been Ushi-Waka’s right hand men. Tendo since they’ve been friends since they were kids, Soekawa because Washijo would rather trust him over Tendo when Ushi-Waka dies or isn’t here. Then there’s Shirabu… see, I used to be MVP: most valuable pirate when it came to anything dealing with maps or navigation but then Shirabu turned up and he did everything I could do better. He got a bounty quicker than me, and he debuted with a bigger amount too. You could say I’m jealous of the arrogant prick.’ Semi grumbled.

   ‘That must be tough.’ Tsutomu concluded even though he only got overall gist of the story rather than the nuances which are probably are what really upsetting Semi.

   His quivering fist unravelled. He smiled. Sincerely.

   ‘Thanks for letting me get that out.’ Semi said. ‘Especially since you totally have a crush on Proud.’

   ‘A crush? I do not have a crush on Shirabu!’ Tsutomu snapped.

   ‘Do you now…?’ Semi whistled. ‘Who would have thought you picked up on that piece of human slang? Well, since you’ve been such a good listener, and listening to me bag out your crush, I’ll give you a reward. You like music, don’t you? Well, I mightn’t be as good as Shirabu on violin but I’m pretty great at guitar which is basically a violin except not at all.’

   ‘Git-tar?’ Tsutomu echoed, vibrantly interested.

   ‘Hell yeah, let me go grab it and we can chill out here for a bit and I’d offer to teach you… but you need fingers.’ Semi said. ‘Hang on a second, please don’t jump overboard. I’ll be back in a second.’

   Semi darted off and Tsutomu, although incredibly tempted by the idea, was able to resist the temptation of jumping overboard so he could walk in the streets and be among all those humans. Instead, he was wallowing in some very terrible thoughts.

   He did not have lovey-dovey feelings for Shirabu.

   He was still recovering from break up with Nagisa after all. They mightn’t have been perfect mates but they had still been mates. His heart ached like he had been pierced because of all that melodrama. But… at the same time, Tsutomu was feeling that fabled feeling whenever he was around Shirabu.

   But he didn’t want to feel that way.  He wasn’t made right when he was an egg; after all, his father _had_ dropped him when he was still an egg. He mustn’t have been fed or loved enough as a kid. Something was seriously wrong with him. He wasn’t a normal harpy. He was an utter freak.

   He betrayed every code there was. Gleefully.

   With that established – unwillingly, reluctantly – inside of him. Tsutomu has come to a new revelation about himself. A revelation that was so unholy, he knew he was doomed for the underworld.

   Maybe, he was a harpy only in body. Maybe in mind, he was human hence why he felt stronger kinship with the humans he had barely known than the harpies he had grown up with.

   Tsutomu felt it inside of himself. He couldn’t betray the Shiratorizawa Pirates even though he barely knew them. They were now his family. They were more than a family than his birth parents could have ever been to him. And as blasphemous as it may seem, they are somehow more of a family to him than Nagisa and the pod.

   Goodness…. Tsutomu feels horrible admitting that to himself but the awful truths he’s unravelling has only just begun.

   He’s starting to think that… he might have the capacity for multiple perfect mates… and, that Nagisa may have been one of them but Nagisa did not have that capacity therefore, it had been one-sided in perfection. Furthermore… maybe Tsutomu did have a teensy-tiny crush on Shirabu…

   Tsutomu continued to wallow in this negativity until Semi returned with his “guitar” in tow. It was such a curiosity that it, thankfully, took over Tsutomu’s sense of thought with all its peculiarities.

   The guitar had a lot in common with Shirabu’s violin. Both instruments were similar in shape and made of pretty wood. They both had strings but this one had a hole in it. Was it supposed to have a hole in it? And where was the bow that it would need to make noise? Needless to say, Tsutomu was confused.

   Semi sat down and rested the instrument on his lap. He had Tsutomu sit with him. He sat close and inquisitive. He was overflowing with questions but a knowing look in Semi’s kept him sated.

   Semi positioned his hands along its oddly shaped rod and atop of its strings. He seemed to calm down: he was the perfect picture of serenity now. He swiftly moved his fingers along the neck of his instrument and he was able to produce noises. Tsutomu was absolutely enchanted: wide eyed and listening intently to the howls and whines of the guitar.

   It was magical. Semi’s fingers moved along at an easily unseen pace and he smiled as he made his music. Tsutomu’s heart began to pound. He really wished that he could learn how to make music like the rest of the crew. What a lovely and unique talent that humans had.

   ‘Hey. Semi?’ Tsutomu piped up.

   ‘Mm?’ Semi acknowledged Tsutomu as he continued to play.

   ‘Do you have any crushes on anyone?’ Tsutomu asked; hoping to make himself feel better. Or worse.

   ‘Crushes? Tsutomu, I’m literally dating Tendo.’ Semi said with an amused smile and good natured chuckle.

   Tsutomu blushed. ‘I didn’t realise… it’s just, um, Tendo is so clingy with, uh, Ushi-Waka.’

   ‘Duh, Tendo is dating Ushijima too.’ Semi replied.

   ‘What? How? Isn’t it impossible… To have more than one mate?’ Tsutomu asked.

   ‘Monogamy isn’t for Tendo and I’m chill with that.’ Semi replied.

   ‘Yoohooo….’

   A voice from below caught Tsutomu and Semi’s attention. Semi paused half way through a note and let the noise catch oddly. He slowly got to his feet and he scanned below. He smiled when he saw that the non-bounty party had come back and seemingly successful: their five had grown to a six.

   ‘Come aboard whilst I go get Ushi-Waka.’ Semi called out.

   Tsutomu got up and onto his tip-toes. He craned over the railing. There was indeed a sixth person whom he did not recognise: a man, presumably. He seemed much, much older than the pirates but not as old as Washijo.

   ‘What is that?’ the New Human exclaimed, aghast as Tsutomu waved at the group.

   ‘That would be our pet harpy.’ Yuushou replied. ‘Just ignore him and he’ll go follow some else around for a bit, probably Shirabu.’

   ‘An-And is that _Intense Force_ …?’ the New Human asked.

   ‘We told you; we are famous pirates.’ Shibata boasted.

   Ten or so minutes later, the entirety of the Shiratorizawa Pirates had regrouped on the sky deck. Ushi-Waka’s presence, solemn and stern, domineered over them all and especially the New Human who had introduced himself as Doctor Saitou Akira.

   Doctor Akira was visibly nervous and squeamish standing among the pirates. Ushi-Waka sized him up and exerted pressure over him. Tsutomu attempted to get closer to the strange, new human but Semi and Shirabu was keeping him and his curiosity in constriction as they didn’t want to further freak out the poor doctor.

   ‘Are you… well regarded in this community?’ Ushi-Waka asked and he raised a strict eyebrow.  

   ‘Been here for two years. Somewhat liked. Don’t stand out much; not compared to the doctors who have been here for decades.’  Doctor Saitou replied.

   ‘But we can trust you to do whatever you can for our Commander-in-Chief?’ Ushi-Waka. ‘We’re not expecting a miracle, just what’s good enough.’

   ‘I take it what I heard from your underlings – too much liquor, twenty percent of a liver – isn’t just brash pirate talk?’ Doctor Saitou inquired, hesitantly and although slowly shrinking away. It was a shame he was surrounded.

   ‘No… unfortunately.’ Ushi-Waka replied gravely.

   Using only his eyes, he was able to move his crew around as he needed like pawns. Half of the non-bounty group split off with Doctor Saitou and Ushi-Waka joined them. The air was stiff as they left, bobbed down below deck, and their mumbling footsteps like a funeral procession underneath the sky deck.

   Semi came forward, towards Tsutomu, who seemed ignorant to the depressing mood the ship had taken on with the arrival of the doctor.

   Semi put his hand on Tsutomu’s shoulder and smiled awkwardly. ‘So, uh, Tsutomu. We’re thinking that we should all prepare for the worst.’

   Tsutomu blinked. ‘What do you mean?’

   ‘Um, uh, Tsutomu… we don’t think that Washijo will live for much longer and we’re all very attached to him. He’s like a grandfather to us and, I would expect that you’re attached to him too. I mean, it was his idea to bring you with us.’ Semi explained slowly.

   ‘Oh…’ Tsutomu mumbled. His shoulders slumped downwards and he was swallowed by this horrible, dejected feeling.

   In that moment, it felt like it had become cloudy. Everything around Tsutomu decolourised but as he looked up, his head became heavy, and he was dazzled by a bright sun and grey sky. Not a single cloud. Around him, life was loud and inescapable. Too loud. Too inescapable. The noise from the town intensified. His crew began to murmur. Not a single, coherent word from them. Just… din. Their mouths moved, noises were made, but no sense created from their words.

   Tsutomu just kind of drifted after that. He was awake but he wasn’t processing anything. It was like he was watching a dream; observing but not partaking. He wasn’t the only one. The entire crew seemed drained of energy. But they tried not to and Tsutomu didn’t understand why.

   Why were they acting like their beloved Commander-In-Chief wasn’t dying?!

   Why were they cracking jokes and beers?!

   He didn’t understand. He doesn’t think he wants to understand. Human culture was bizarre. It was whimsical and strange. Didn’t they have a sense of etiquette? Even the bloody sirens have a sense of etiquette. Of course, harpies do too but at least harpy etiquette makes sense. Not like humans. Not like sirens.

   Humans should be more like harpies in this situation. At least harpies mourn the dead and the dying properly. They may not sing funeral songs like sirens but they are respectful in their own way. They told epic stories of the deceased so that they would remain noble in death as they would have been in life. They buried their dead in the ice with food so they had food for the journey into the afterlife.

   Just because Tsutomu was given the cruel mercy of exile and denied all the rights of death, didn’t mean humans had to be so barbaric.

   For the first time aboard _Intense Force_ – no, for the first time in his life – Tsutomu wanted to be anywhere else than where he was. So, he kept to himself. He found a little place to hide and he curled up: head between his knees and he cried. He cried unabashedly.

   He barely knew the man and he felt more like family than Tsutomu’s blood and kin. So of course, Tsutomu would cry and bawl. Of course, he would sob and mutter, under his breath, and remind himself of everything Washijo had done for him. He remembered every affectionate touch on his head and how he had paraded what made penguin harpies penguin harpies in a display of pride to his crew; showing them that Tsutomu was worthy.

   Tsutomu couldn’t speak of Washijo’s youth but he knew he didn’t have to.

   He stayed hidden for a good long time. He cried himself dry and until he bled into a guilty sleep. He was woken up when feet came beating past him, around him, over him: nobody knew that he was tucked away with barrels and strange sticks with soft, bushy ends. But the crew called for him desperately and he could detect it in their voices: utter tragedy.

   And, in that moment, as he lifted his head and strained his ears: he became teary with a horrifying realisation. It hit him like a rock to the gut. He would rather have been mauled in that moment than emotionally hurting as he was.

   Even though he would rather stay hidden, Tsutomu knew he had to come out of hiding. So, with a pitiful and wet face, he crawled past the door and skulked through the halls of the ship until Semi found him.

   Semi had desperate eyes and frantic hands. He grabbed onto Tsutomu’s shoulders and brought him close. He shook and trembled. His lips quivered and his eyes were dams ready to break. He swallowed and he pulled Tsutomu in for a hug. It was the worst hug that Tsutomu had ever received and hugging was a very important custom to penguin harpies.

   Semi’s hands coiled around Tsutomu’s back and Tsutomu was pressed onto Semi’s soft shirt.

   ‘You can cry, no one’s going to judge you.’ Semi murmured. He was absolutely choked up so Tsutomu had no doubt that he was about to bawl.

   ‘I have been.’ Tsutomu replied and he hugged back.

   The embrace was strong and Tsutomu was wrapped with Semi: he reeked of alcohol and saltwater. He was warm. He didn’t seem as tough as he normally did. He was actually vulnerable; even though Tsutomu had been introduced to him as though Semi was supposed to be something of an antagonist even within the crew.

   Slowly, Semi stepped back and he let Tsutomu go but his hands never left Tsutomu. They simply moved up and down Tsutomu’s shoulders and flippers; as though Semi was uncertain as to what to do with his hands and couldn’t decide if he could accept Tsutomu as more “human” or more “monster”.

   ‘As you’ve probably worked out,’ Semi blew out through his nose and took a deep breath; he seemed so fragile, ‘Washijo has passed.’

   Tsutomu swallowed and yet it felt like all his breath had been sucked out of him. It was like he could suffocate. Maybe even choke on how unreal this felt. He’d never experienced loss like this before. He had moved on well in his exile but this was completely and utterly difference. Comparison was useless because of how soul-crushingly different this was.

   ‘But, unfortunately, he didn’t go peacefully. He was in a lot more pain than he should have been.’ Semi was breaking down now. He was messily sobbing but he had to convey the bad news regardless. ‘We had to will him to throw in the towel and he never once told us how much pain he actually was in until Dr Saitou forced it out of him.’

   He pushed at his face in a vain attempt to clean himself up. Tsutomu reached up, on his tiptoes, and tried to help wipe away Semi’s tears but he was pushed away. Semi even took a step back and the tears of grief turned to something akin to anger but not quite.

   ‘But – But at least he went down fighting. It’s what he would have wanted. I mean, he probably would have wanted to have been impaled or some shit but surely, having an argument on your death bed with one of the most terrifying men in the world counts. Ri-Right?’

   Semi shrugged and laughed to himself. ‘It’s what we would have wanted. Havin’ him go down like he’s just popped a melatonin so he doesn’t have to deal with us and our screeching. It’s what we would have wanted. Havin’ him go down, with most of us around. Yeah, you’re not the only one in hiding, Tsutomu. C’mon, we’re going to mail his body to the Marines and collect a reward, how does that sound? May have to chop the bastard up so he can fit in the envelope.’

   Tsutomu was horrified. His breath caught in his throat and his eyes widened. He attempted to scramble away and Semi was ashamed of himself.

   ‘Not one for black comedy? Sorry, everyone’s joking about it, I guess that is a bit morbid considering the man only died, like, an hour ago… We’re giving him a noble funeral. Fuck the money we could cash in on him. C’mon, let’s get you in proper, funeral attire. You don’t need much; you’re already in a tux. We’ll find you a bowtie somewhere, surely.’

   Tsutomu was then dragged around the ship with Semi who was obsessed with idea of clothing him. Tsutomu could understand why but he wished that he wasn’t the focus. It was understandable that Semi would want an escape but putting Tsutomu in pants was not it.

   But Tsutomu did end up wearing something. He was given some loose, black cloth to drape over his body. He had been told this particular article of clothing belonged to Tendo so Tsutomu felt the need to preserve it but his body was not made for it. He had also been given what Semi had called a “bowtie” earlier. A bowtie was a fancy type of blood red fabric bunched up to look like a leafy blossom that went around his neck. He felt like he was being strangled.

   Everybody gathered on the sky deck of the ship. Including Washijo’s corpse which was swathed in sheets; scented with herbs and spices and doused with a putrid smelling, brown coloured liquid the others referred to as a mix of “petrol” and “gasoline”. Tsutomu was uncertain as to which word was to be used.

   The funeral was being held before dawn, Tsutomu realised. It was very dark but there was something in the air that hinted to a sun about to rise. He could smell it above the oceanic zephyr that carried the many foreign scents of the new realm. Tsutomu looked around – trying to see through the darkness – but he realised there was nothing there. At some point during the night, they had cast off and sailed back into the ocean.

   Ushi-Waka walked, shoulders squared and head high, and took an entrance. He paraded himself – marking himself as the strongest bearer of all the grief but his eyes were wet and cheeks gaunt. There was a shake in his hands but he composed himself well regardless.

   He stood proudly on the upper crests of the deck, in front of the body which was laid out in a wooden grave – a tiny ship; a dinghy they call it. Ushi-Waka stood shoulder-width apart. He took a deep breath and put his hands behind his back. He began his solemn speeches and announcements.

   ‘It is with great displeasure that I make the formal announcement of our misfortune. Our Commander-In-Chief has passed away. He lived a grand seventy-one years. And whilst he did not go peacefully, he did go down battling. Never was there a more suitable death for him. He would have preferred a knife to a gut but alcoholism can be as devastating as any blade. Ultimately, it was liver failure that took him from us in the end.

   ‘Thank you, Doctor Saitou for your work.’ Ushi-Waka added.

   ‘I wish I could have done more.’ he lamented.

   ‘I’ve never been a man of many words so, I shall allow Tendo to take over from here. He has a speech prepared.’ Ushi-Waka said and he stepped aside.

   Tendo strode through the crowd and for a second, Tsutomu thought that Tendo had managed to grow even taller than he was before. That was, until, Tsutomu noticed that his “shoes” had some sort of stick on them to give the extra height. He was wearing a shimmery cloth that shamed the night sky’s starlight. Tsutomu had never seen anything like it. The cloth didn’t encase his legs. It did the opposite: showed them off, stopping below his knobbly knees. Tendo was always strange but today, he seemed stranger than usual. Could tragedy bring out extra quirks?

   He took to the raised platform like a peacock. His eyes were wet but his deviant smile was legitimately insincere.

   ‘Why talk about the dead bastard when I can talk about myself?’ he asked and that’s when Tsutomu realised the grief was eating Tendo out completely. He was merely putting on a façade. Beneath the humour in his voice, there was genuine devastation.

   ‘I was the first member of the Shiratorizawa Pirates to be recruited. Wakatoshi-kyun was the second. We both came from a land ‘round yonder. Washjio had no clue where he was; somewhere past Fereldrien in a drunken stupor.

    ‘I was just a poor kid from Nullius Caliga; a half-caste, the bastard child of a high-class woman who couldn’t keep her legs shut because her husband never touched her but the help – well, the help wanted to help her all he could. Never fitted in; not with my half-siblings, not when they could tell I was different. A monster, they called me. With my stupid fucking hair, with my stupid fucking eyes, and the fact they didn’t like I could read them and not the two, ratty books we did have in that shitty shack we had in the middle of foggy fuckin’ nowhere. Oh, and did I mention the fact that no one got me. They thought I was so weird; wanting to be a mix of the two established genders, what the fuck.

   ‘Okay, okay, this is a funeral so my angst isn’t appropriate but I’m just tryin’ to set the scene. I was seventeen. So, that’s what? Eight? Seven? Years ago and this motherfucker, he comes out of nowhere. He’s a washed-up scrub from the Navy and he’s lookin’ to start a new family, a crew – a pirate crew – and you know what. He meets me and sees I can’t read or write worth a lick but he knows I have my talents even though I’m – allegedly – a screw-up of a human. He didn’t get it but he didn’t care. He wanted me to be in his back pocket, one of his little pet pirates, and he gives me a fuckin’ chance and I run with it like hell is biting at my high heels.

   ‘And he makes me work damn hard so I can keep up with the others he goes onto recruit, like the man he dubbed captain: the “Miracle Boy” Ushijima Wakatoshi; worth one-hundred-and-forty-thousand. He wants a crew full of diamonds and he takes us all in. He makes us feel like we’re his pride and joy even though we’re reason he’s lost most his hair, and liver… He made us feel like we’re his grandchildren and honestly, he’s the best grandad I’d ever had.’

   ‘Aye!’ the crew yelled back at Tendo.

   Tsutomu mumbled in agreement too. He couldn’t keep his eyes on the wooden grave anymore. Washijo looked too unreal there; under his sheets like he was sleeping like humans did. His vision began to blur as tears welled up in his eyes. He glanced around – as discrete as a shark’s fin in the water – and noticed everybody else was averting their gaze; crying just like him.

   ‘I don’t think much more needs to be said: he was a boy who wanted to be a hero so he set out on this great blue sea in search of that and what he found made him a man with great grandkids and a reputation fiercer than thunder. What more could you want from life?’ Tendo asked and he threw his hands into the air.

   And that’s when the levee broke. He stomped off to the side and he wiped his face which sopping wet with his own tears now. Ushi-Waka gave him a huge hug as he walked past and Tendo, for a moment, became calm and soothed but the effect didn’t last for too long.

   Ushi-Waka let go but he didn’t seem like he wanted to. Tendo returned to the crowd and Ushi-Waka took his place in front of the wooden grave.

   ‘And now, it’s time to say our last goodbyes. Ten minutes and then we send him off, into the next life.’ he said.

    The crew said their prayers and looked over the body: confirming with their own two eyes that this was reality. It was gruesome and he still looked alive. If only his stomach was moving. Up. And down. Breathing. Tsutomu couldn’t believe it.

   But furthermore, he couldn’t believe that these humans weren’t even giving their Commander-In-Chief – their grandfather- a proper farewell. He didn’t want to but he had to. For the sake of Washijo, Tsutomu turned around and he confronted Soekawa but he could only bring himself to whisper and hiss.

   ‘Where is it?’ he asked, desperately with a grimace across his teary face.

   ‘Where’s what?’ Soekawa replied, he sounded empty. Hopeless.

   ‘His food?’ Tsutomu asked.

  ‘What?’ Soekawa screwed up his face.

   Tsutomu turned around. ‘Where is his food? Wait, I heard once humans need to pay the ferryman… where’s his gift?’

   The crew shifted.

   ‘You can deal with this.’ Soekawa told Ushi-Waka.

   He nodded and came towards Tsutomu. 

   ‘Care to explain?’ Ushi-Waka asked and Tsutomu met his eyes: he had such warm and caring eyes. He made Tsutomu feel safe.

   ‘You’re sending him to the afterlife, aren’t you? Why aren’t you giving him food for the journey? What about the ferryman… he needs to pay the ferryman so he needs a gift.’ Tsutomu replied.

   ‘Ah, I understand now.’ Ushi-Waka said.

   Tsutomu knew he used words that Ushi-Waka wouldn’t know but he believed him anyway.

   Ushi-Waka exuded patience. ‘We have our own spiritual beliefs. So long as his body leaves this world, as can his soul. He doesn’t have to worry about food for the journey to Hell, but should there be a ferryman in the afterlife, then yes… he may need some money for the man. Would you feel better knowing if Washijo had a gift for this figure in your spiritual beliefs?’

   ‘Y-Yes.’ Tsutomu admitted shyly; feeling silly now. Of course, the humans had their own, distinct etiquette. They were real. Not like the humans his peers told horror stories about his youth. He felt terribly rude now with this epiphany in mind.

   ‘Will some gold be enough, do you think?’ Ushi-Waka asked and he produced a circle of golden metal.

   ‘I – I think so, I don’t know…’ Tsutomu replied. ‘I’ve never died before… I only know about this because the elders said that humans require a fee… because, um, they’re so selfish in life, they need to be generous once their dead so they can get into the God of the Underworld’s good graces.’

   ‘Sounds reasonable enough to me.’ Ushi-Waka replied. ‘Now, I shall make sure that Washijo has his fee for the ferryman.’

   ‘Thank you, Ushi-Waka. I really mean it.’ Tsutomu said and for a moment, his smile returned like sunshine through clouds.

   ‘You’re welcome. Thank you for telling me.’ Ushi-Waka said.

   Tsutomu watched as Ushi-Waka gifted Washijo with some money. Seeing that made Tsutomu feel a lot better. Washijo would be fine. He was moving onto the afterlife now. He would be fine.

   A few more minutes were spent to mourn the remains but then, it was finally time: the grand finale, the final farewell – all up in flames. Soekawa, Yamagata, Shibata, and Kawanishi were tasked with lowering the wooden grave onto the still sea. On the horizon, in a cosmic distance, light began to flow upwards and outwards from the peeping sun. The wind had softened into nothing.

   ‘Farewell… Tanji-kun.’ Tendo murmured.

   With a heavy heart, Tendo was the one given the cruel and heart-wrenching duty of striking match and dropping into the doused dinghy. The tiny flame hit its intended target and in a matter of seconds, a huge fire erupted like a battle cry from the tiny dinghy. The flames were strong and mighty in vibrant hues.

   A foul and heavy stink rose up but it was intermingled with herbs and spices and wood smoke so it could be tolerated. There was a brief period, when everyone took deep breaths to cry and just be awash with the burning soul of their great Commander-In-Chief. A small part of him would be with their bodies now, forever, but a large part of him would forever be in their hearts and minds. He would rest in peace; even if he was burning now, even if he was burning in Hell or tortured in the Underworld for being an executor of skewed justice.

   ‘And now,’ Ushi-Waka’s voice boomed through the silence that was unbearably and riddled with too many thoughts of Washijo, ‘we begin our twenty-one-gun salute to our fallen Commander-In-Chief.’

   ‘Aye-Aye, Captain.’ called back the crew.

   The three cannons that bedecked Intense Force were rolled out and aimed at different directions. Ushi-Waka, Soekawa, and Tendo were the ones given the role of shooting them whilst everyone else, except Tsutomu as the custom was completely lost on him, pitched in to organise matches and fresh cannonballs.

   The first cannon was fire by Ushi-Waka. An explosion of heat was let loose and ravaged the night air. A blast of smoke and air followed as a shiny cannonball was ripped loose. The ungodly bang it made echoed in Tsutomu’s ears and then it began. He thought it was a song – “Hey Baba Reeba” or similar – at first because everyone in the crew apart from him knew what to say but it turned into something else. Something much more rousing and familiar.

    ‘When I was just a lad, looking for my true vocation, my father said to me: “Now son this choice deserves deliberation. You could be a doctor or a lawyer. My son, why not consider a more liquored-up career?”

   It turned into the speech that Washijo had christened Tsutomu with – christened everyone with.

   ‘And that took me straight to the big top: I wanted that so I joined the Navy. The fucking bastards. The fucking bastards!

   ‘I was taught that pirates were to be hated and feared. But no more than the fuckin’ Navy. We all lie, and cheat, and murder, and pillage our way across the seas. And by the devil, did we have fun doin’ it as a crew of pirates; as a most noble brotherhood. So, I found no solace amongst the millions with white flags. I got stronger and stronger but the sons of bitches they put me in charge of? Fuck-wits! Motherfucking Shirogane got all the good ones – those pricks the Generation of Miracles, but whatever. I gave up. It was time to see how the other half lived because I’d been put through Hell because of some of those Navy scumbags.

   ‘And it’s been the best decision I’ve made yet! In all seventy-one years that I’ve lived: the best decision!’

   The different pauses and nuances in Washijo’s speech were punctuated with bangs and explosions from the different cannons. Everyone heartily shouted out the words to the speech. They had memorised it but they bastardised it anyway. Even Tsutomu tried to chip in here and there but the most he could offer to the overall volume of the entire affair was the cuss words that were sprinkled throughout.

   Having it out of his lungs felt great though. It dried his eyes and was a comfort to him. It was like an immense weight had been lifted off of his shoulders and whilst this relief seemed fleeting, it was a joy nonetheless.

   Ushi-Waka swivelled around firmly and looked like he had one last address for his crew.

   ‘As much as it breaks out hearts, we all have to say goodbye.’ Ushi-Waka yelled.

   ‘But.’ Tendo piped up snidely.

   ‘But, to honour Commander-In-Chief’s memory, we are going to go on a most mighty quest and relish in the wealth it amasses us. He said the day he dies is the day we get to touch his most prized possession: the map of “Cheap Shot” Nistor Jiri. We’re going to find his lost trove.’ Ushi-Waka announced.

   ‘Fuck yeah!’

   ‘Aye, Capt’n!’

   The Shiratorizawa crew met Ushi-Waka with rousing cheer and huge movements. They were casting off their grief and burying themselves with a new objective. Tsutomu didn’t mind though. It seemed like a good idea. It was better than sitting around and feeling miserable.

   ‘And, now, to fully finish today’s ceremonies, we’re going to auction off Washijo’s shit. Everyone who wants to bid, hurry ‘round the mast and I’ll be auctioneer!’ Tendo yelled.

   ‘Wait? What?!’ Tsutomu yelled and he was then exposed to a very strange human, funerary tradition. Apparently, the property belonging to Washijo was fair game to whoever had the most gold and other moneys to give. It seemed oddly disrespectful but it was better than idle time as Ushi-Waka chose to manoeuvre the ship rather than participate.

 _Intense Force_ whipped back around and abandoned the burning dinghy. The ocean was Washijo’s home now: truly a place he could rest in no matter how cold or watery or lonely. It burned and nobody saw. Only felt: the heat, the wisp of smoke, and the painful knowing that it was unchangeable. Death was death. Gone was gone.

   The sails were full blown and the current pushed past. The wind picked up and the Shiratorizawa Pirates intended to return the valiant Doctor Saitou to his home but something unimaginable met them on the port.

   Their ship had its black flag flying proudly: it seemed of death in appearance, scent, and reputation. To the people of the town, the pirates had spirited away their doctor and now, they were back and without trumpeted purpose. So, the people of the town had pre-emptively called the Navy but on such short notice, only the cowards had been summoned.

   ‘Be gone or we shall shoot!’ announced the Navy Captain.

   ‘Fire cannot kill a dragon!’ Tendo shouted back, lackadaisical and sly.

   ‘Doctor Saitou is not one of us. We merely took him to tend to one of our own.’ Ushi-Waka explained.

   ‘Be gone or we shall shoot!’ yelled the Navy Captain.

   ‘But what about the fate of your Doctor Saitou?’ Ushi-Waka asked.

   Kawanishi and Reon brought Doctor Saitou forward in make-believe bondage: loose ropes only to look like he was tied up.

   ‘Be gone or we shall shoot.’ yelled the Navy Captain and with that, the Shiratorizawa Pirates decided there was no use reasoning with the irrational fear the townspeople had of them and their doctor; one of their own. The world could be unforgiving.

   So, somehow, the number of people on Intense Force managed to stay stable or if not equal to how it had been earlier. Doctor Saitou was appalled by the behaviour of the townspeople. He had spent a year with them: tending to their sick and dying and this is how he is repaid?

   With suspicion and fear?

   Unbelievable.

   That night, they ate Doctor Saitou’s favourite meal but they also ate a banquet dedicated to the man they lost. They drowned themselves with liquor and jolly songs. Anything to escape the crushing weight that even though there were no holes among them physically, they were riddled with wounds because someone was missing spiritually.

   Everyone revelled in excess that night. Everyone drank and ate more than they should. A tradition was left unfulfilled. They had a new member and he was not baptised with the blessed speech of the Commander-In-Chief and no one spoke of who was to fill the empty position in their crew. Perhaps it was fated to remain unfilled but in an intoxicated haze of good times and repressed bad times, it was all up in the air like their hands and voices, ardently trying to fill that grieving void in their hearts.

 _Intense Force_ went onto tramp through unknown territory; not just for Tsutomu but for most the crew. They followed the plotting of a dead man and that threw them past all sorts of strange lands and seas. They didn’t stop anywhere for long. Just long enough to pick up new food and other supplies before setting sail again. There was a vengeance amongst the crew.

   For Washijo. For Washijo. For Wasijo. For their Commander-In-Chief, they would find a dirty Navy man’s illicit treasure trove of goods he pilfered over the years. According to legends Washijo used to pass down about the nefarious deeds people would get up to in the Navy, Cheap Shot Nistor banished his treasure upon being found out by his superior at the time. A handsome lad named Washijo Tanji; apparently but upon his punishment for theft, he revealed there to be a trick in his map. Washijo never did work out what that “trick” was but maybe his crew – Ushi-Waka’s crew – could work out what Cheap Shot Nistor meant. There were no clues on the map.

   The journey to the where the coordinates met off the map had gone into its second week; fifteenth day to be exact. Tsutomu didn’t even realise how big and lovely the world was until now. It was unreal. The aftermath of Washijo’s death was no longer as prevalent but the vengeance remained. The desire to make worth of their loss remained ever strong. They would fulfil that which Washijo had never been able to in life.

   However, t’was upon that fifteenth day that a hellish storm brew and whipped through the sky. It was dark and murky. The ocean churned and roared. The wind blared and raged. The clouds were black and rough. The sky deck was drowned with frigid water and even ice. Huge chunks of ice plummeted from the sky side by side with a cold lashing of rain.

   And for Tsutomu, it was magical. The rest of the crew was in a tizz and a panic. Frantic through the ice and water, trying to get the rigging and sails in order: salvage what was left of their ropes and fabrics.

   He hadn’t seen ice or felt the cold since he had been exiled. It was wondrous. He didn’t even realise he had missed it until he was forbidden from staying above deck. He wanted to feel the freezing water on his skin. His body craved it. But for now, he was tethered by good music and better company.

   The crew who knew how to play an instrument, were making their strange mechanisations make noise; even Ushi-Waka was creating sounds from his mysterious and large wooden box he called a “piano”. Wonderful, lovely noises lifted throughout the insides of the ship but it did little lull the raging adventurer inside of Tsutomu. He was a penguin harpy before all else and it begged to be refreshed amid the ice and water. He may not have belonged to the natural elements for long but he did miss it.

   Not even the beautiful combination of Shirabu’s violin and Semi’s guitar could soothe Tsutomu.

   Those with instruments attempted to harmonise with the thoughtless drone of “Hey Baba Reeba” but ultimately failed. It didn’t matter. It was amusing. Tsutomu thinks the reason everyone is down below deck and praying in between songs is to escape the storm. He doesn’t understand why the humans feared it: the rolling thunder, the flashes of lightning, the fall of rain and hail. It’s beautiful. A comfort. Didn’t they yearn for it too?

   Eventually, the humans tired themselves out but Tsutomu was still wide awake. He thinks anyway. His eyes are still open and his mind seemed sharp but still, he wanted to nod off and join the cuddly pile of sleep but he was driven by instinct and yearning more than that.

   So, he excused himself.

   Tsutomu was slow at first. Each step he took was calculated and precise. He racked his brains for the weak spots in the wood; where it was squeak and groan and scrape his claws. He had to be silent but he was assured arrogantly, by himself, that everyone was in too deep a sleep to notice if he were to leave. As he got closer and closer to the exit, he became bolder. Louder.

   From underfoot came a loud groan from the aging floorboards but Tsutomu did not dare to look back. He felt that if he were to, he would doom himself. Besides, more likely than not, someone had probably just rolled over. They were probably still asleep. So, onwards Tsutomu went.

   The immediate moment in which he got to the sky deck, was unlike anything he had ever experienced. He took a deep breath and he was honestly refreshed. Recreated completely and utterly anew. Serenity blossomed inside of him as he was doused by the frigid rains.

   He tilted his head upwards, closed his eyes, and listened. He listened to the array of sounds the sea made as rain and ice hit it. The roar of the wind and boom of thunder. It was lovely. Riveting. He truly was made anew in this moment. His body hadn’t been this cold in year and it was fantastic!

   But, perhaps, the humans had more foresight than Tsutomu. He spread out his arms and he breathed deeply in. The air was pure and delicious. But the air was deceitful. It felt at peace but it was crazed. It pushed itself forward in a delirious burst. It gave a blood thirsty howl as it grabbed onto the ship with furious claws. The wind mercilessly ravaged the ship.

   Tsutomu screamed as he lost balance; and all ounce of tranquillity from him. No wonder the humans were scared. They were in the middle of nowhere and nature was their enemy when it turned with such horrid mood; vanquishing all in sight with vicious weather.

   Had it not been for his claws of steel, Tsutomu would have definitely been thrown overboard because of the wind and crashing waves. He grabbed on and he held it like he would hold it through the Underworld.

   But then he heard it. A hard splash. A drowned scream. He turned around and he lunged himself at the railing of the ship even though he knew he was playing a risky game by doing that.

   ‘Tsutomu!’ a familiar voice – Semi – screeched. ‘Where’s Shirabu?’

   Tsutomu clung to the railing. He bravely turned his head and saw a few members of the crew pop their heads through the hatch in the floor.

   Tsutomu took a deep breath as fear was ingrained to every fibre of his being. Ushi-Waka didn’t like it members of his crew sear; even though they do it prominently, using cuss words as a particle the same as “is” or “was. He particularly was irked when Tsutomu swore. However, this was exactly the kind of situation wherein he ought to have full privileges.

   ‘UP FUCK MY PRICK DAMN!’ Tsutomu shouted.

   ‘I’m so proud of my little baby penguin; that shit made no sense.’ Tendo commented among the crew.

   Tsutomu turned around again and the wind whipped his hair about; obscuring his vision. He positioned himself against the railing and prepared to jump off it. The ship rocked violently and he took the leap.

   It was the perfect dive. He slid into the water and carved his way through it. The water bore its frigid fangs and attacked but Tsutomu was worse. He was a pirate now. He had great expectations and even though he hadn’t been in such icy water for years, he was protected by his feathers. It felt good to kick in such deep strides as he searched for Shirabu.

   The water was black but Tsutomu was fine with that. He swam through with powerful strokes and he focused himself. Through all the splashes and sounds. Unfortunately, a struggling human barely releases any hint of their presence so Tsutomu had to be especially keen.

   The ocean had eaten Shirabu alive. Humans weren’t made to fight back at the sea when it bears hostility.

   Tsutomu felt bubbles twinkle through the ocean without a care. They were odd. Too big for any fish so he followed them desperately. He bowed down and swam strong until he found Shirabu, grasping tightly onto his violin like it was more sacred than his own life all whilst seeming unconscious. He drifted downwards… sinking… dying…

    Tsutomu propelled himself forward with all the might he could muster. He tackled Shirabu yet he was unresponsive. Tsutomu coiled his flippers around Shirabu and steadied his violin. Tsutomu knew that Shirabu would be heartbroken if he lost his most prized possession like this.

   Returning to the surface of the ocean was much easier than plummeting down. There was much more motivation involved. Even as icy threats clung to Tsutomu and pierced him, he broke through the choppy surface with a huge breath. His lungs inflated and rain pelted his face. It didn’t matter.

   He jostled Shirabu. He made no movement or even a vague flicker of acknowledgement across his face or entire body. Still, he strangled the neck of the violin but that had been unchanging.

   ‘Are you okay? Are you okay?’ he asked.

   ‘Penguin ahoy!’ Tendo screamed from somewhere far beyond Tsutomu’s mind. ‘Grab one, kiddo!’

   A life preserver tied onto a rope was flung down from the ship. It skipped across the water a few paces and alerted Tsutomu. He was much closer to the ship than he initially thought. Relief, albeit momentarily, washed over him as he struggled to paddle Shirabu and himself through the water. He was still hyper aware of the violin.

   Tsutomu ducked under the life preserver and brought himself and Shirabu through it. The two and the violin were wedged tightly within it. He smiled and looked up. The rain had vanished and a grey streak of sunshine came through a pitiful shaft in the seething clouds. 

   ‘Heave-ho, heave-ho...’

   With great strength and perseverance, Tsutomu and Shirabu were pulled up from the sea. It had been a ten-minute process but due to the treacherous nature of a slippery life preserver hauling up more people than intended to use it, it had felt a lot longer. But it had been worth it in the end. After all, Tsutomu and Shirabu were now safe and sound. Furthermore, the storm had shied away; exhausted itself now fading outwards and away from the ship.

   The only thing that felt longer than being rescued was watching Doctor Saitou revive Shirabu. Without him, another cycle of tragedy would have likely befallen the Shiratorizawa pirates.

   Anger born of concern manifested inside of Ushi-Waka. And he too was a storm that ravaged Tsutomu and Shirabu as they were sternly and harshly questioned upon why they had decided to visit the sky deck in the middle of such a literal, catastrophic storm. Eventually, the anger and concern in Ushi-Waka subsided as he was mutedly happy he still had both his crewmen. He wasn’t an affectionate man but there was a twinkle in his eyes that was just as a loving as any ruffle of hand through hair or a hug. It was even better maybe.

   With the weather clearing, it was time to clean up the water on deck. The hail had melted but that didn’t make anything easier. It was light work and soon, the deck was pristine once more. Maybe more so than it had been yesterday.

   The only person who hadn’t participated in the clean-up effort had been Shirabu. He escaped by virtue of having nearly died a mere hour and a half ago. Tsutomu, although being Shirabu’s main rescuer, was not quite as privileged. From afar, Tsutomu watched Shirabu.

   He had sat solemnly where the wooden grave once had sat too. He kept to himself. Pale and deathly. Damp with his violin by himself. He had an unfathomable sorrow in his eyes; like he was mourning himself and not anyone else. Tsutomu was curious and pitying. He had to know the source of such a baneful grimace.

   Tsutomu plopped down next to Shirabu and he made a half-hearted attempted to wriggle away. He swung his knees in the opposite direction to Tsutomu and gave the appearance than he was trying to ignore him.

   ‘Hey… are you okay?’ Tsutomu asked.

   ‘You ruined it.’ Shirabu growled.

   ‘Ruined what?’ Tsutomu asked.

   ‘The last thing connecting me to my… you know, never mind. You wouldn’t get it.’ Shirabu snarled and he had a flash of hatred and bitterness in his eyes.

   For a second, Tsutomu was scared. He had seen Shirabu bare his teeth and snarl before but there was something different about how was carrying on today. His fingers curled over the edge of the crest on the deck. It was like he was trying to dig his fingernails into the wood and make himself bleed.

   ‘Maybe I won’t… Maybe I will… Either way, I’m willing to listen. My vocabulary’s also improved heaps lately so you can even use big words. I know you love using big words.’ Tsutomu offered.

   Shirabu sighed. ‘Thanks, Tsutomu.’ He paused. Took a breath and there was a crease in his forehead as he tried to make sense of what he wanted to say.

   ‘What were your parents like, Tsutomu? Didn’t they hug you enough or give you enough fish as a child… is that why you’re so screwed up?’

   ‘Well, um, funny you should mention that.’ Tsutomu gave an awkward puff of laughter. It was very much forced. ‘I was, uh, dropped on my head; wh-when I was still in my egg. Maybe that’s why I’m not all there in the head as a harpy…’

   ‘No Tsutomu!’ Shirabu’s voice curled into an impassioned yell and he met Tsutomu’s gaze with a hard glare.

   ‘Did they love you?’ he asked desperately.

   A quiver of chilling fear ran down his spine.

   ‘I – I don’t know. I never met… them. Damaging an egg is an offence punishable by death for it desecrates harpy law. And my mother was killed in an action; against a leopard seal soon after nestling season… when it would seem there would be easy meals for rival predators….’

   ‘Lucky. I would give an arm and leg to have grown up like that.’ Shirabu cut in; greedily, unfeeling.

   Tsutomu took a hollow breath. A tear dribbled down the side of his face as he shrugged.

   ‘As it would turn out, the age-old proverb “It takes a colony to a raise a chick” isn’t at all true. I was raised that way and I don’t think I turned out okay. I brought dishonour to the entire colony; and to my mother’s – Aello’s – legacy.’ Tsutomu rambled.

   Tsutomu’s voice was a very distinct tone. He sounded heartbroken but he also sounded like he couldn’t care less. He was speaking of strangers whom he never met; could never meet the expectations of. It absolutely wrenched Shirabu’s heart to hear happy-go-lucky and bubbly Tsutomu speak of such sadness.

   ‘Oh, my God! I’m so sorry.’ Shirabu apologised hastily. ‘I can’t believe I said that.’

   ‘It’s okay. I heard it a lot growing up. The other chicks from my season… whenever their parents were being too hard on them, they’d complain to me. Envious of my status as the nowhere nestling.’ Tsutomu replied softly.

  Tsutomu’s gaze softened. A blur seemed to be cast over his eyes. Shirabu wanted to say more but he hesitated. He had invited this grief. He couldn’t cast his own for it would be irrespective of Tsutomu’s own sorrow.

   ‘It’s okay. You can say what you want. Tell me… why do you wish you could have been a nowhere nestling?’  Tsutomu asked. ‘I hurt you… earlier, in some way I don’t understand. Make me understand.’

   ‘My parents wanted me to be their perfect little doll. Talk this way, act this way… my family was worth damned nothing but by goddamn did they try: to become proper aristocrats; not just the pet inbetweeners. And that was what they always wanted. And do you know what I’ve always wanted?

   ‘To be myself. Because they never gave me that and it all intersected perfectly one day. At the time, my parents had been gussying me up. There was a viscountess of marriageable age and guess what my parents wanted?

   ‘For me to marry the bitch. I hated her; ever since I was fourteen. I had tutored her in violin once and she had absolutely no proficiency and even though, I the prodigal commoner son, was better than her in every way; even as a four-year-old compared to her the twelve-year-old, she had to gall to blame me for her shortcomings but that had been a fair few years ago now. Maybe she had mellowed out with age; her face had certainly become prettier. I thought, maybe by marrying out, I could escape my parents. Turns out, fate had something slightly more exciting in mind for me.

  ‘A marquis from Nullius Caliga was visiting around the same time but everyone knew there was something strange about this marquis. Rumour had it that he had simply disappeared one day; stowing away in the night with his strange companion: someone neither male or female; imagine the scandal!

    ‘Anyways… If it weren’t for Ushi-Waka, Tendo, and Washijo, I would be in a loveless marriage with a woman I couldn’t stand but…’

   ‘I don’t understand, Shirabu.’ Tsutomu piped up shyly. ‘You’re free… aren’t you? Aren’t you happy?’

   ‘As an adult, I get my parents wanted the best for me and in a classist country like Glorielle, the best way for me to have the best was to be the best. But all I ever wanted, was to be me. Not their little mindless little doll they could expect absolute obedience from. Yet, the greatest thing they ever gave me was music. You know what I mean? When I play violin, I can find myself. Although I hate my parents for bringing me into a life I didn’t want, I have to thank them for giving me my only violin.’

   Tsutomu leaned around Shirabu and stared intently at his instrument.

    ‘Only violin? Did I break it? It looks fine to me.’ he assessed, confounded.

   Shirabu rolled his eyes. ‘I can’t play that violin anymore. It’s too waterlogged. So yeah, long story short… I guess I am a little bit mad at you as you destroyed the only thing connecting me to the one part of my past that I like.’

   ‘C’mon, please… try and play it anyway.’ Tsutomu insisted.

   Shirabu glared but it subsided with a sigh. ‘It won’t sound very good.’ He muttered as he reached for his violin. He picked it up carefully and leaked like pouring out a cup of water. It drizzled on the deck and Shirabu could not be more unamused by the turn of events. He sighed again and hesitantly tucked the butt of the violin underneath his chin.

   He placed his fingers along its neck and frowned. He handled the violin gently; as though it would break beneath his tender touch but Tsutomu was certain the violin was fine. After all, the ship was fine and it had been the water far longer than the violin and they were both made of wood. It was going to be fine.

   ‘I forgot. I don’t have my bow.’ Shirabu said.

   Shirabu turned his head and glared forwards; he caught Reon’s attention and Reon took Shirabu’s glare as an invitation to come over. However, Reon did find Shirabu’s bow quite easily as he had been loitering around the hatch that led below stairs. Shirabu must have dropped his bow around there; or, Reon had merely found during the clean-up effort.

   ‘What’s cookin’ good-lookin’?’ Reon asked, smug as he sauntered over.

   ‘You have my bow.’ Shirabu stated.

   ‘This ol’ thing?’ Reon asked and he poked the bow into Shirabu’s chest.

   ‘Yes; that old thing. Just give it to me.’ Shirabu snapped.

   ‘What’re you two… up to?’ Reon asked.

   Tsutomu didn’t understand why Reon seemed to be teasing Shirabu. He certainly didn’t understand why Shirabu’s cheeks turned scarlet once Reon had finally given him the bow.

   Shirabu ruffled his hair and puffed out his cheeks. He grimaced. ‘You better enjoy this.’

   ‘I will!’ Tsutomu chirruped and he nodded his head excitedly.

Shirabu prepared himself for the worst noise ever to be elicited from his violin. Tsutomu merely smiled, awed. Shirabu placed the bow against the violin’s strings and pulled them across. The violin did not perform as Tsutomu had expected. Shirabu winced as he broke his violin. It made horribly, soggy noises as it disintegrated beneath his touch. He acted as though it were ghastly.

Tsutomu thought it was brilliant. He gasped, just a little and his eyes glittered. He was impressed that Shirabu tried even though he had failed.

Shirabu was repulsed as he gave up on playing his instrument. As he pulled it away from his chin, the neck of the violin was no longer attached to its body. The strings ripped away from it and dangled. The body crashed to the floor with dull noises.

‘Oh…’ Tsutomu mumbled. ‘Now it really is broken.’

   Shirabu set it down and he seemed to have shed some sort of emotional weight. He gazed towards Tsutomu and moved himself closer. Shirabu brought his hand to Tsutomu’s jaw. Tsutomu stiffened but he didn’t seem to rebuke the affection. He allowed Shirabu to caress him. His fingers wisped over Tsutomu’s face. He became jittery; a little flushed too.

   ‘Thank you.’ Shirabu said. ‘I shouldn’t have offloaded so much baggage onto you but it feels good. And maybe… it is time to retire my childhood violin.’

   ‘Y-You’re welcome.’ Tsutomu stuttered. His heart fluttered.

   ‘And, just so you know, I’m only saying that because you don’t have a dollar to your name otherwise I’d make you pay for a new violin!’ Shirabu snapped and he got up. He stomped off and left Tsutomu baffled and dazed.

   He could be so bizarre and temperamental. He was tender mere seconds ago, and now he felt the need to yell and be mean somewhat mean-spirited. Tsutomu couldn’t even just shrug it off as a human thing as the other crewmen were plenty more grounded in realistic mood swings. It was only Shirabu.

   Today’s storm was the last of the bad weather, it would seem as it was smooth, predictable weather from there on out. Two days later, they finally found the end of the map: where the coordinates laid out to. And it was a lovely little island in the middle of inescapably blue ocean and sky.

   Nistor’s Island was exactly the sort of island in which stolen treasures would be home to. It was miniscule and easily overlooked. The closest country wasn’t another two-three days’ worth of sailing away. It was crumbly and unassuming. There was a distinct lack of wildlife populating it. There weren’t even few mangrove trees. It was just sand that was pure white as most of it was born of crushed shells. Seagulls and a pelican wandered around; idly realising there was nothing to eat.

   _Intense Force_ was taller and wider than the entire island despite its loaf-like hill at the centre of the island. The pirates disembarked giddily. After all these days of waiting, this was the pathetic place in which Cheap Shot Nistor had stashed his treasure? Easy-peasy, it was bit of a mystery though: why hadn’t Washijo pursued it before his death?

   Ushi-Waka and Tendo recalled the few stories Washijo had told about this place. He called it a despotic hellhole. It was hard to believe that the coordinates hadn’t lied. This was definitely the spot and yet, it was anything but. Then again, Washijo was an easily angered man and perhaps, the trick to finding the treasure was why he would call such a puny, uninhabited island a “despotic hellhole”. Although, Tendo was fond of the idea that Washijo called it as such because he had been bitten by a pelican here.

   Tsutomu was the last to come down and off of the ship. There was something beneath the shallows here that caught his eye but it kept disappearing. It was like a flash of yellow and red and green that would come and go with the cresting, pale blue-grey waves which brought seaweed and silvery, little fish. Since he could find it, he supposed that it didn’t matter. Tsutomu then joined the others on the main part of the island. From there, Ushi-Waka organised them.

   The pirates split up and searched the island. The most obvious place to start was the hill; especially if this treasure had been lounging around here since Washijo’s fifties or similar. However, as the monotonous hours droned on and they sifted through all the sand and shell, it was becoming increasingly obvious that the treasure was nowhere to be found.

   By late afternoon when the swell of twilight was just about to swoop in over the sky that Ushi-Waka decided to herd up his crew and re-strategize.

   ‘We should have found it by now.’ he stated.

   ‘Thank you, Captain Obvious.’ Tendo chimed in and he plopped himself down and scowled. ‘All we’ve managed to find today is sunburn.’

   ‘What are we looking for?’ Tsutomu piped up shyly.

   ‘Are you shitting me? We forgot to tell the penguin what treasure is?’ Tendo asked.

   ‘We’re looking for gold and silver; lots of money and pretty coloured rocks which are unusual colours.’ Ushi-Waka patiently explained.

   Tsutomu frowned. Why did that sound familiar?

   ‘May as well save our energy for tomorrow.’ Ushi-Waka decided. ‘Reon?’

   ‘Yes?’ Reon piped up.

   ‘I thank you in advance. We’re all exhausted and yet you still have further duties. Tonight, I shall help you with meals.’ Ushi-Waka offered.

   ‘It’s fine. It’s what I’m here for.’ Reon replied with a good-natured smile and half a shrug. He clasped his hands together. ‘Who’s in the mood for fried rice? I think we deserve the carbs after today.’

   ‘We always deserve the carbs, Reon.’ Yamagata agreed.

   The pirates piled back onto their grand ship and waited, a tad impatiently, for a meal. Tsutomu, as he was boarding, continued to contemplate what Ushi-Waka had said and why it seemed so familiar. As he was passing through the gate, it struck him almost like a flash of light. The sun glinted off of the gradually growing rougher waves and it reminded him of when he had left the ship. He would investigate further tomorrow when he would have the aide of everybody else.

   Fried rice was always a challenge for Tsutomu to eat so it was lucky that the others found it endearing that he couldn’t abide by human feeding manners. He decided that amid the laughter and chatter, it would be a good idea to bring up his idea.

   ‘What if the treasure had been sunken… at one point or another?’ Tsutomu asked; piping up through the clamour. 

   ‘Well…’ Tendo mused as he set down his cutlery. ‘It would be a cheap shot.’

   ‘What makes you think that?’ Semi asked.

   ‘It might have just been sea glass but there’s something strange by the hull of the boat in the shallows. Greens, yellows, reds… It’s weird.’ Tsutomu answered.

   ‘Even sea glass can be valuable.’ Soekawa reasoned with a sly smirk.

   ‘You fantastic bastard.’ Tendo grinned.

   ‘Well, even if Tsutomu’s lead is a bust, I’m sure there’s a fool in the world who would mistake sea glass for jewels.’ Soekawa haughtily replied.

   ‘And that’s why he’s Vice-Captain.’ Yunohama laughed.

   ‘And that’s why I’m Vice-Captain because goody-two-shoes over there would only want to get his money the fair way: using force.’ Soekawa mocked.

   Ushi-Waka rolled his eyes but he made no denials. Conversations soon spiralled out from there; joking about why Soekawa was Vice-Captain over anybody and everybody – including Tsutomu. Tsutomu was kind of thrilled though, by the idea of someday being Vice-Captain but he just wished the reasons he wasn’t currently weren’t so insulting. Apparently, it was because of his hair cut. There was nothing wrong with the way Nagisa had styled his hair!

   Calling it a “bowl cut” like it was supposed to be derogatory. Humans had plenty of uses for bowls so why was that supposed to be demeaning? Shouldn’t it mean his hair has uses?

   The following morning, everyone was bright eyed and bushy-tailed although with a dull ache leftover from yesterday but it was mostly flushed out by the hope that something would go right today. Everyone crowded around Tsutomu as he pointed out where he had seen the flashing stones in the water. Those tall enough or close enough to the edge, could see where he was pointing when the sun shone just right.

   ‘Alright men, we search the water today.’ Ushi-Waka confirmed.

   Everyone scrambled over the railing and leapt into the water with mighty splashes. Perhaps a little bit of fun and goofing off would ensue before any serious treasure hunting. After all, time was unlimited for them. Although, Shirabu was extremely hesitant to enter the water or venture too far. Tsutomu offered to stay near him, sensing that hostility Shirabu had for the water but was ultimately rejected.

   Diving up and down between the surf where the “shallows” were at their collarbones was plenty of fun. Especially when they started to haul in results. Everyone was bobbing up and down between the waves; grabbing the smooth, coloured rocks whenever possible. Unfortunately, it didn’t take long to figure out that it was sea glass rather than gems which was disappointing.  At least a profit had been made; even if it was marginally.

   Because it was only sea glass that they had found, the crew was slowly becoming discouraged and had returned back to pointlessly scouring the island but there was something odd about the sea glass. Tsutomu had seen a lot of sea glass back at the Sandy Nest but it didn’t have much in common with the sea glass here. Sea glass didn’t just lie around like that. It clustered and moved. It was more like, someone had put here on purpose and the waves never bothered to take it away because of the depth it was that.

   Tsutomu, however, stayed in the water. The others didn’t mind; they supposed he could be onto something but at this point, it seemed far likelier that the treasure would be on land. Tsutomu swam through the water and enjoyed how clear it was. It was slightly grey and warm in the morning sun. He preferred this sort of sea over the tempestuous one he had to save Shirabu from three days ago.

   He ventured out further away and followed the other sea glass that the crew hadn’t taken. It was so strange, the way it was strewn about: like a broken path that led into a bizarre den of underwater plants. It was off-putting given how empty the island and girth sea here. Tsutomu brought himself to the surface of the water. The glare of the sun bouncing off the ocean dazzled him but once his eyes adjusted again, he searched his surroundings.

   Behind him, was the island and the ship. To any other direction, there was nothing. He treaded water, soon to discover that there was a sandbar rising up. It was made of the same, crumbly sand and shell as the island. Tsutomu took a foothold and another breath. He dived under the water again and ventured closer to the underwater forest.

   The plants were dying and adapting. They weren’t born to exist underwater but no survivalist can surpass trees. Tsutomu rarely saw these species and he knew they weren’t supposed to be submerged like that. He ducked between seagrass – which was normal – as well as coral – again, to be expected – but also some sort of human structure. A house, Tsutomu believes. It has all the tell-tale signs of being one. It looked similar to the structures in the port: it had a roof, although dismantled, half a door and half a window.

   Tsutomu investigated a little closer. He poked his head through the window and kept his belly to the sand. The house was very tiny and swollen with sand. Inside, there were many things Tsutomu recognised as the ship had them: chairs, a table, and a kitchen. Why was all of this here?

   It didn’t take long for Tsutomu to decide that humans would best no why another human would build something underwater despite humans having no capacity for being underwater for too long. He broke the surface and as soon as he through, with a fantastic splash spiralling out from him, he yelled:

   ‘I FOUND A HOUSE!’

   People heard him but they were pre-occupied, it would seem.

   ‘I’m telling you. There’s some strange about this peninsula.’ Soekawa insisted and he grabbed Kawanishi.

   Kawanishi huffed and watched Soekawa jump up and down on the peninsula. Soekawa insisted that Kawanishi did the same and Kawanishi reluctantly joined in with the jumping. They looked like fools doing it and bemused most of the crew. But a low rumble stirred up through the sea and skittered odd ripples as it went. It grew increasing in volume before it was like a roar.

   The peninsula Soekawa and Kawanishi were jumping on rumbled and shook before finally crumbling away. Puffs of sand rose up with the water. They screamed as they were brought under the water with the peninsula. With all eyes having been on them because of Soekawa’s shouting, a fair portion of the crew were laughing their heads off as Soekawa and Kawanishi dragged their embarrassed selves out of the surf.

   Ushi-Waka, getting no pleasure from other’s pain, wandered around to the other side of the island where he had heard Tsutomu’s shouting.

   ‘What did you say you found?’ Ushi-Waka asked loudly.

   ‘A HOUSE!’ screeched Tsutomu.

   ‘Preposter….ous.’ Ushi-Waka grumbled but he changed half way through and became struck by an idea. ‘Tsutomu!’

   ‘YES?’ Tsutomu replied.

   ‘KEEP LOOKING!’ Ushi-Waka boomed.

   ‘OKAY!’ Tsutomu yelled and he bobbed back down underwater.

   He managed to weasel his way back into the house. He pushed sand out of the way and ventured through. It was one room and had too much crammed into it. Tsutomu churned through the sand until he discovered a backdoor. Realising no point in ramming it open, he escaped through the window and searched around the outside of the house. He found more sea glass and unnatural plants.

   In the distance, he heard the thwaps of humans swimming through with their dolphin-like swimming style. Tsutomu ignored that though and focused on his own swimming. He was conscious of how much air time he still had but he was a justifiably confident swimmer; especially compared to humans but not necessarily compared to sirens with their gills.

   Tsutomu soon found something unbelievable in his search. Something so unbelievable, he returned to the surface to get new air before diving straight back down. He thinks he’s found it. It certainly matches the description: a wooden crate eaten away by the ocean over time that was overflowing with gold and precious gems. The things in that odd box didn’t feel like sea glass. This was the treasure. Had to be it.

   Tsutomu grabbed as much as he could with his claws but it was slippery. He kicked off of the lid and shattered it. He swam through the water quickly and burst through. He treaded water, awkwardly because of what he was carrying it.

   ‘I found it! I found it!’ Tsutomu announced.

   He was ignored though. He was too far offshore for most to hear him and Ushi-Waka was still swimming. So, Tsutomu waited, excitedly and eager to please. He bobbed happily and watched as Ushi-Waka finally drew near enough to have a conversation with. It was odd. Humans didn’t like being “naked” but they happily swam like that so seeing Ushi-Waka without his shirt was quite… striking.

    ‘Did you find it?’ Ushi-Waka asked with hot breath and sea water spilling out of his mouth.

   ‘Yep!’ Tsutomu chirped and he dived under the water. Ushi-Waka went to follow but soon saw Tsutomu kick up and reveal his catch. Ushi-Waka was visibly impressed and he reached out for the gems Tsutomu had managed to hold on to. He was careful not prick his hands on the penguin harpy’s sharp claws.

   He revelled with marvelling eyes. Tsutomu came back to the surface. He was rosy cheeked and grinning.

   ‘That’s what we’re looking for… right? Right?’ Tsutomu chirruped.

   ‘Thank you, Tsutomu. I believe that you may have seen through Nistor’s trick. I would gamble that he we well aware of this island’s destructibility and probably planned for it.’

   ‘That would be something of, uh um, _cheap trick_ … wouldn’t it?’ Tsutomu asked.

   A wry smile crossed Ushi-Waka’s face. ‘Yes, it would. Now, can the treasure be accessed by humans or can only your skill set remove it.’

   ‘There’s a sandbar, over there. If you guys wait over there then I can probably bring the treasure chest around and pick up anything that I lose along the way.’ explained Tsutomu.

   ‘Thank you.’ Ushi-Waka replied and he swam on awkwardly as he continued to cradle the treasure Tsutomu had already recovered.

   It was lengthier process than Tsutomu thought it would be. He wasn’t anywhere near as strong as he thought he was or maybe the treasure was just that well buried. Still, he persevered tenaciously because that’s what Washijo would want. He took breaths every five minutes and it felt like for every step forward five steps back were required in sacrifice.

   By the time, Tsutomu managed to move the chest to the sandbar, the entirety of the crew had swum out or brought the ship with them. They all hung about on the sandbar and the shallows. The ship was empty as far more fun was going on below.

   Although, by the time that Tsutomu had gotten close, a few like Ushi-Waka and Reon had decided to help him and with their combined efforts, they were able to dump the chest which was exploding at its seams with rot and gold on the sandbar.

   Everybody crowded around the chest and loomed and leered greedily over it. Tsutomu was being affectionately batted around. Everybody was super proud of him and he could feel his heart swell until it was fit to burst; he could feel his smile widen past points it was like his face would tear. Tsutomu thought he was a reasonably happy person. He had lived a good life but the utter joy of being centre attention like this – absolute bathed in praise and affection – put any other moment of happiness in his life to shame. It was wonderful.

   ‘We’re gonna get you drunk later, ya little bastard.’ Tendo grinned as he ruffled Tsutomu’s hair.

   ‘You will do no such thing!’ Doctor Saitou piped up with a glare.

   ‘C’mon, surely a cruiser wouldn’t hurt him.’ Tendo replied.

   ‘I’d rather not.’ Tsutomu mumbled.

   ‘Oh, uh shit dude… Didn’t realise. We’ll get you some ice-cold water then. C’mon guys, look at this stuff,’ Tendo kicked the chest and it lurched again and released a splatter of gold and an assortment of multi-coloured gem, ‘we needa celebrate it.’

   ‘And we will.’ Ushi-Waka agreed. ‘For Washijo.’

   ‘For Washijo!’ the crew yelled supportively.

   ‘But first, we have to transport our new goods to the ship.’ Ushi-Waka reasoned.

   ‘To the ship!’ cried out the more alcohol thirsty members of the ship.

   ‘You’ve done well today, Tsutomu. We are fortunate to have you.’ Ushi-Waka said and he placed his hand on Tsutomu’s shoulder. He’d never felt smaller but it was good.

   He smiled. ‘Thank you.’ Tsutomu grinned.

   He didn’t have enough words of gratitude in his vocabulary to properly convey how great it felt to be recognised so honourably by the Captain of the crew: the ace. It was magnificent but Tsutomu’s job wasn’t just done yet. He still had to check for anything that he may have lost along the way and it was hard to be careful with that much stress and impatience lugging that chest to the other side of the sunken, sandy house.

   Tsutomu thoroughly investigated through the sand. He made sure nothing was left behind. He found a few things here and there so he returned them to the sandbar where everyone else was eagerly arranging the chest’s next move, as well the auction and arranging of who was going to get what.

   See, Tsutomu had found a small, unassuming rock that was far more valuable than any gem. To him anyway. If Tendo were to assess this rock, he would surely turn his nose up at it and dismiss it but to Tsutomu. It was priceless and glorious. It was beautiful. Perfect.

   Tsutomu still loved Nagisa. He’s no longer certain as to what kind of love it is now as absence makes the heart grow fonder but he knows that he and Nagisa weren’t a perfect pair. That’s fine. Nagisa was different to him after all because Tsutomu doesn’t believe in “perfect pairs” anymore. He’s seen it aboard _Intense Force_ ; a new way of love.

   Instead, he would embrace the opportunity to have many perfect lovers so maybe, one day, he will come to regret never giving Nagisa the perfect rock and maybe, one day, Tsutomu will search for another but for today, this one rock was enough. He had one person whom he loved and even if it did not last, today, he would take risks and act promiscuous.

   With a little bit of reluctance, Tsutomu returned to the sandbar and quickly invited aboard _Intense Force_ once more. Everyone was getting ready. One final rope had to be tied here or there then the treasure, which hadn’t already been brought aboard, would officially be theirs to pawn between each other. Tsutomu couldn’t be happier but it was he had his precious rock and it meant the most to him. They could have their glassy, red stones and sharp, green rocks and he would have this one. That was fine.

   Tsutomu stood on the deck and he smiled. He still felt swollen with pride and he was planning the moment in which he gifted his rocks to the ones who had simultaneously confused his heart and soothed it. It was exciting. Like being breathless so he made sure to breathe deeply. The air tasted differently here. Who would have guessed?

   The ocean sprawled out infinitely towards the afternoon sun. Everybody was clambering back onto their ship. _Intense Force_ : it was always a suitable title for them but today, more than ever as their little “baby” finally proved he could handle himself abroad. Or at least that’s how Tsutomu felt. Today had been challenging. His bones ached deeply. He really wanted to sleep but he somehow doubted tonight was the night to curl up somewhere.

   Tsutomu knows he shouldn’t think about it as its awfully morbid but he wants to indulge the desire which simpered inside of him. The desire to be the greatest and surpass the strongest. It had died down a little bit because of that embarrassing mock fight but now, it was raging like an eternal flame inside of Tsutomu but he was trying to repress it.

   So, he indulges that part of him. Perhaps one day, Ushi-Waka may be killed, then Tsutomu could take over the mighty and weighty crown of Captain. The ace in the deck. But until then, he was still their little brat with an ego too big.

   Tsutomu grinned broadly. Tendo dragged past him and patted his head idly. He was sunburnt as anything and soaking wet still. He must have been swimming way too much earlier. He then promptly collapsed on the ship’s sky deck without hesitating; a loud and concerning _thunk_ followed.

   ‘Are you okay?’ Tsutomu worried.

   Tendo raised a skinny arm and gave him the thumbs up.

   ‘Don’t worry about him, Tsutomu. I’ll make sure he doesn’t overdose on pain killers.’ Semi said and he took Tendo by the ankles. With the smooth wooden floors beneath him, he slid easily.

   Shirabu awkwardly approached Tsutomu who was happily glancing around. He was like a kid in the confection store. Shirabu supposed that he was. This was his first big haul after all. It took a lot of strength to do what he did today: to recover the lost treasure of Cheap Shot Nistor. If it hadn’t been for Tsutomu’s incredibly specific skill set, the Shiratorizawa Pirates wouldn’t have had a meek chance of getting such gold and other assorted riches.

   ‘Y-You did well today.’ Shirabu praised Tsutomu; surprising him.

   Tsutomu beamed. ‘Really?’ he piped up.

   Shirabu never praised him. And when he did, he usually diffused the sweetness by adding something unnecessary and insulting afterwards.

   ‘Are you going to play the violin tonight?’ Tsutomu asked.

   ‘You destroyed it, remember? Or do you have too much seawater in your ears and its mucking up your memory?’ Shirabu growled.

   Ah, there’s the usual compliment followed by an insult combination Shirabu usually applied. Tsutomu wasn’t miffed.

   ‘I think it sounds good.’ Tsutomu said.

   ‘No one else does. It’s completely waterlogged but, if you like, next time we’re at a port, I can take you shopping and you can hear how a violin is supposed to sound.’ Shirabu added.

   ‘That sounds great.’ Tsutomu said. His eyes flashed excitedly and a little bit of regret prickled Shirabu. It probably wasn’t the brightest of ideas to take anyone like Tsutomu anywhere near a music shop but still, he did deserve some sort of treat. Visiting a human civilisation – for proper this time – would be spectacular!

   …However, being the attention seeker he was, Tsutomu wanted a more immediate treat a little more than a promise of something in the long term. He had done exceptionally well today. He deserved such a thing.

   Tsutomu blinked. ‘Shirabu? Are you okay? Your cheeks have gone really red all of a sudden.’

   Tendo made a mocking variety of kissing noises in the background; only to be promptly kicked in the side by Semi.

   ‘Don’t be rude! They’re having a moment!’

   The two heard Semi hiss. Shirabu snickered and it did lessen the weight of colour in his cheeks but not by much.

   He fidgeted and avoided Tsutomu’s unerring gaze.

   But it was Shirabu’s fierce and determined gaze that was far more powerful than Tsutomu’s. Shirabu grabbed Tsutomu’s shoulders boldly.

   ‘Wh-What are you doing?’ Tsutomu asked.

   ‘Would you like to kiss me?’ Shirabu asked and his grip on Tsutomu’s shoulders ground in harder.

   A huge grin split across Tsutomu’s face and he headbutted Shirabu; his forehead straight into Shirabu’s nose. A little bit of blood dribbled from Shirabu and he let go of Tsutomu and put his fingers across his face.

   ‘I don’t know why I expected anything less from you.’ he sighed.

   Tsutomu chuckled awkwardly; not realising that he had crossed Shirabu.

   ‘Cross cultural differences, huh? What a moment killer.’ Kawanishi said as he sauntered past. ‘Don’t want to further interrupt, but here’s a little something for our penguin prince.’

   Kawanishi placed a crown on Tsutomu’s head; it was a tad lopsided on him as his head was too small to completely fill it out.

   ‘Don’t mind me. Keep on keepin’ on.’ he strolled off, whistling.

   Embarrassed further, Shirabu half slunk away but Tsutomu stopped him. This time, he proceeded to lean in without near as much velocity as last time. He over puckered his lips and placed what was arguably the worst first kiss of all time onto Shirabu’s lips. Shirabu, however, did not mind although, Tsutomu had horrible breath: all fishy and whatnot.

   The kiss did not last long as Tsutomu retreated first. His face was ablaze.

   ‘Sorry?’ he offered meekly.

   ‘Don’t be. It’s not the worst kiss I’ve ever had.’ Shirabu shrugged.

   Tsutomu beamed. Now was the perfect time.

   ‘I have something for you.’ he announced suddenly.

   ‘Not another nosebleed, is it?’ Shirabu asked as he wiped his face. In the mess of a kiss, he had forgotten about it.

   ‘N-No, something a bit more personal.’ Tsutomu replied and he unclenched his toes. His two rocks spilled out. ‘D-Do you mind sitting down?’

   ‘No, I mean… I guess not.’ Shirabu murmured.

   He sat down cross-legged in front of Tsutomu and he was absolutely giddy. His heart pounded awkwardly. He grinned.

   ‘I’m kind of scared.’ Shirabu stated, neutral but suspicious.

   ‘It’s a good something, I swear.’ Tsutomu mumbled and he shyly pushed forward one of the rocks whilst flicking the other under him. ‘This is for you.’

   Shirabu was confused to say the least. He warily picked up the rock and inspected it. It was brown-grey and one side was perfectly rounded and smooth. It reflected light and didn’t have any odd crevices or holes in it. However, on the other side of the rock, it was like it was braided. It was all these patterns on it from being worn down by bumpy waves so now, it too resembled a bumpy wave.

   Shirabu’s jaw slackened and his eyes widened. He was taken aback but all this happened in half a second. Shirabu didn’t even seem like he noticed that he gone through all these motions in his face. He seemed genuinely touched.

   ‘Thank you, Tsutomu. It’s a very nice rock. So, is it like a geode or something? If I crack it open, will it be valuable or something?’ asked Shirabu as he continued to examine it.

   ‘I don’t know. I don’t think so though. Wait, what’s a geode?’ Tsutomu asked.

   ‘You got me this rock for a different reason… didn’t you?’ Shirabu asked.

   ‘Yes.’ Tsutomu replied firmly.

   ‘What was that reason then? If it wasn’t to make me five hundred koban richer?’ Shirabu asked.

   Tsutomu began to fidget. ‘Well, normally, when a harpy gives another harpy a rock… its, uh, um, marriage proposal but I just want to tell you that I think I love you but I also think I love someone else too and I want to give him a rock too.’

   ‘Oh. You fell in love… with me?’ Shirabu sounded gobsmacked.

   ‘So, that kiss was just… nothing?’ Tsutomu asked and Shirabu could hear the moment Tsutomu’s heart broke as he spoke.

   ‘To be honest, since I told you about my childhood the other day, I thought I would share more of Glorielle’s culture with you; the good, not just the bad. In Glorielle, kisses are shared freely; usually to denote triumph or greeting… But, maybe it’s because you saved me, maybe it’s because you’re fun to tease but I think I’ve been in love with you for a quite a while too.’ Shirabu admitted.

   ‘Does this mean we kiss again?’ Tsutomu asked.

   ‘It absolutely does.’ Shirabu replied.

   This time, Tsutomu did not go for the headbutt. It was traditional among harpies that a little headbutt would be the first contact before lips. This time, it was all about lips and he had to admit: Shirabu had a very nice pair. He didn’t want to compare though; especially with Nagisa as his only reference.

   The kiss was chaste. And a little bit awkward and eyes were open which was strange but slowly, they got into rhythm and they leaned in on each other; crossing over personal space boundaries that they had established before Tsutomu had given Shirabu the rock. Now, they could trust each other. Eyelashes fluttered over another and Shirabu gently caressed the side of Shirabu’s face. His fingertips had gentle, warm strokes on his cheeks. It was different. Very different but it was a good different.

   Tsutomu didn’t want to say it but he thinks that there’s a very good chance of it but maybe, they are a perfect pair and if not, they will be for a little bit. And that little bit shall seem like infinity.

   Tsutomu hadn’t planned it like this but he was very much glad about this change of plans. And in this moment, Tsutomu wanted the kiss to last forever. They were rapidly improving. Balancing each other and finding each other’s sweet spots but nothing lasts forever and the rest of the crew appear to relish the chance to spoil a romantic moment.

   ‘OI! Taichi-kun, let’s get Ushi-Waka drunk!’ Tendo screeched as he came running through. Kawanishi was not far behind them and Ushi-Waka was soon delivered a beer and the quiet, sky deck nook that Tsutomu and Shirabu had been working through their feelings through had been ruined.

   They joined the crew and they all began a rousing rendition of peer pressure in lyrical form:

   ‘He’s a piss pot through and through. He’s a bastard so they say. He tried to go to heaven but he went to the other way. He went… Down! Down! Down!’

   Ushi-Waka easily downed his puny bottle of beer to the delight of his crew. He easily guzzled the foam and drink. He pulled the bottle away dramatically and there was a clear buzz in his eyes. He took a bow and was clapped by the crew.

   ‘What do we think of Wakatoshi-kyun?’ Tendo asked.

   ‘He’s alright!’ the crew belted back.

   ‘C’mon, let’s get some drinks in hand. Let’s have a sing-along. Perfect day for it.’ Tendo encouraged.

   ‘Only if you lead us.’ Ushi-Waka said, apparently, when buzzed he became much more affectionate. He planted two, soggy kisses on Tendo: one on each cheek.

   Tendo had a glimmer in his eye. ‘Since we’re celebrating Washijo and Tsutomu – again – maybe we should sing “Birds of the Sea”. Washijo loved his eagles, Tsutomu is literally a penguin. Sounds good?’

   ‘If you insist, you were the one who was going to be a singer in a previous life.’ Ushi-Waka replied.

   ‘And you were going to be a gardener.’ Semi piped up.

   ‘Rack off, you can’t give anyone shit about their career path, Punk. You were going to be a bureaucrat.’ Yamagata said, a tad disgusted as per the inside joke.

   ‘Weren’t you the one who did Punk’s hair, Yamagata the Barber?’ Shirabu asked.

   ‘Yeah, it’s better being a barber than a violinist, huh Shirabu?’ Reon said and then sighed, shoulders slumping and all. But there was something in his eyes that gave away his dramatics. ‘At least I’m not a meal maker.’ He laughed at his own joke.

   The crew had a chuckle and Ushi-Waka took the crest – something Tsutomu knows as a “bridge”. He proudly looked over his ship and crew. Everyone took a breath and even though Tsutomu had no clue what was about to be sung, he felt like he would know the lyrics regardless as he was a Bird of the Sea.

   ‘With a hi-hi-ho, and a hi-hi-hey, we’re bound to be close to the sea. Our captain will stand on the bridge and sing: Pirates are all we can be. With a hi-hi-ho and a hi-hi-hey, with our Jolly Roger go, we’ll be free! We are Birds of the Sea! We are Birds of the Sea!’

   Tsutomu looked up at the mast. The Jolly Roger flapped proudly and the sails were full blown. He hadn’t noticed it before but they were moving. He wondered where but for now, he would remain in awe of that beautiful flag. Apparently, it meant freedom. To him?

   It meant family and it was truly the centre of attention. It bound them together like blood and was sacred. When Washijo had passed, this was where his life’s celebrations had taken place. Now, with his loot beneath it: glittering like a sunshine, it was his life’s celebrations too. Amazing. He wondered what other celebrations would one day take place beneath it here.

   The flag unfurled completely and the insignia better than blood was proudly shown: the feral, white bird – an eagle – protecting the skull and crossed bones of a human.

   ‘We are Birds of the Sea! With our Jolly Roger’s go, we’ll be free with a hi-hi-ho and a hi-hi-hey! Pirates are all we can be… pirates are all we can be as Birds of the Sea…’

   The end, until next water time….

**Author's Note:**

> I know what I am doing with world building and if you have questions about any location that came up, feel free to ask because I have extra details that never made it into the final cut of the fic!!


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